MLB News: In the National League Central one starting pitcher has opted to have Tommy John surgery in his elbow in order to repair the ulnar collateral ligament. It’s been nearly two months since the end of Major League Baseball’s regular season, so news regarding his election to have surgery at this juncture in the off-season is a bit unusual.
The starting pitcher undergoing elbow surgery currently plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh acquired him via trade with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022 when they traded Jose Quintana and Chris Stratton. St. Louis sent third basemen Malcom Nunez to the Pirates along with Johan Oviedo.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Johan Oviedo, a former St. Louis Cardinals player, is undergoing Tommy John surgery (MLB News).
2023 was 25 year old Johan Oviedo’s first full year in the big leagues. He made 32 starts for the Pirates, posted a 4.31 ERA, pitched the second highest number of innings for Pittsburgh (177.2), and had the second most strikeouts (158). Prior to this he had experience in the big leagues with the Cardinals from 2020-2022 and a short stint with the Pirates in 2022 after being acquired.
Johan Oviedo is expected to miss all of the 2024 season. This puts the Pirates in desperate need of starting pitchers this off-season. Mitch Keller and Johan Oviedo were projected to be the top two in their rotation, so they may be in the mix for a few veteran starters winter.
In the farm system the Pirates have top pitching prospects Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, and Anthony Solometo all coming up. Jared Jones is the only one of these four to reach Triple-A, so it’s unclear how many of them will pitch at the big league level in 2024. Next year the Pirates may have to piece together a starting rotation until some of their pitchers are ready for the big leagues.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did Pirates acquire Johan Oviedo?
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired pitcher Johan Oviedo in a trade during the 2022 season. Oviedo, a promising 6'5" right-handed pitcher, was obtained along with first baseman Malcolm Nuñez in exchange for Jose Quintana and Chris Stratton, bolstering their roster with young talent.
What nationality is Johan Oviedo?
Johan Oviedo, the professional baseball pitcher known for his MLB career, holds Cuban nationality. Born in Cuba, his national identity remains a significant part of his professional athlete profile.
