PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have one of their main starting pitchers back from injury ahead of their upcoming game.
Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Pirates will activate right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from Triple-A Indianapolis before the next game, against the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 4. The Pirates will also have Oviedo start that game, marking his first MLB start of the season.
Sources: The Pirates will be activating RHP Johan Oviedo from Triple-A Indianapolis before tomorrow’s game. He will start on the mound Monday evening against the Giants.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) August 3, 2025
The Pirates didn’t announce a starting pitcher for their series opener vs. the Giants at home, listing it as TBA (To Be Announced).
Oviedo fills the role of the fifth starting pitcher for the Pirates going forward, as he joins other right-handers in All-Star Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller and rookie Mike Burrows, as well as left-hander Andrew Heaney.
He takes the spot of left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter, who the Pirates traded to the Kansas City Royals on July 31 ahead of the trade deadline.
The Pirates won’t need to make any corresponding moves on the 40-man roster, as Oviedo takes one of the three open spots following the trade deadline, but they will need to move someone off the 26-man MLB roster.
Oviedo underwent a Tommy John procedure on his right elbow in December 2023 and missed all of 2024 with recovery.
He aimed for an early return in 2025, but suffered a setback, with a right lat muscle in a live batting practice in early March, which put him back on the 60-day injured list.
Oviedo began his first rehab assignment with the FCL Pirates on June 30, then moved up each level, to Single-A Bradenton on July 5, Double-A Altoona on July 18 and then Triple-A Indianapolis on July 29.
He also spent time with the Pirates on July 21, throwing a side at PNC Park, after Altoona had a day off, which allowed him to come back and get acquainted with his teammates once again.
Oviedo finished with a 1-2 record over six starts over those rehab assignments, a 3.12 ERA over 17.1 innings pitched, 21 strikeouts to four walks, .215 opposing batting average and a 1.04 WHIP.
This start will mark the first for Oviedo since Sept. 27, 2023 and he spoke previously during his brief return to Pittsburgh that patience has proved incredibly valuable for him over this long journey back from injury.
“I’m a strong believer that everything in life happens for a reason,” Oviedo said. “Being patient has never been a strong side of me, so this whole time has been a test that maybe I’ve needed to go through so I can grow a little bit more as a person. The patience is definitely what I’ve had to use the most this whole time. I’m really glad with the results I’ve gotten out of it. I definitely feel more calm in a lot of situations, so I feel like during the game, it’ll help out more than it has in the past. Definitely looking forward to seeing what will come out of it.”
Oviedo served as a member of the starting rotation for the Pirates in 2023, with a 9-14 record in 32 starts, a 4.31 ERA over 177.2 innings pitched, 158 strikeouts to 83 walks, a .237 opposing batting average and a 1.37 WHIP. He also led the National League with 11 pitcher pitch time violations.
The Pirates acquired Oviedo in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 1, 2022, just after the trade deadline. Oviedo and infielder Malcom Núñez, currently with Triple-A Indianapolis, came in for left-handed starting pitcher José Quintana and right-handed relief pitcher Chris Stratton.
Oviedo made seven starts for the Pirates in 2022 following the trade, with a 2-2 record, a 3.23 ERA over 30.2 innings pitched, 28 strikeouts to 16 walks, a .198 opposing batting average and a 1.27 WHIP.
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