This offseason, the Boston Red Sox are betting big on pitching. With their recent trade for Sonny Gray last Tuesday, they acquired another pitcher, this time in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They traded away #3 prospect OF Jhostynxon Garcia for RHP Johan Oviedo, among others, in the deal.
With this recent trade, the Red Sox have clearly signaled they are willing to address their biggest weakness. The departure of Jhostynxon Garcia, once one of their top outfield prospect bats, is the emblem of that shift. Whether or not this move pays off or backfires hinges on how Oviedo performs in 2026.
Garcia was no small piece. Labelled among Boston's top prospects, he spent much of 2025 between AA Portland and AAA Worcester, where he hit a solid line and led the farm system in the long ball (21 home runs) and total bases with 204. He's drawn praise for his blend of power and versatility in the outfield. But here's the thing: trading him was the most obvious choice.
The deal doesn't truly make as much sense, but only if you look at it from this perspective, it will: Oviedo offers serious upside, with a 6'6" frame and a live arm, along with a decent 2025 season after returning from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 3.57 ERA and showed flashes of strikeout stuff. He's also a controllable rotation arm under team control until 2028. If he stays healthy and finds consistency, he could help stabilize that rotation and reduce that reliance on the bullpen (which was the case far too often in 2025).
The problem? The Red Sox have 14 starting pitchers on the 40-man roster. This means something big will happen and soon. With all these arms, it might appear that the club has enough to absorb a trade or two. Another big-time Crochet-like starter or a star closer could make the move worthwhile.
The rumors of acquiring Ketel Marte or even Tarik Skubal are running wilder than ever before for the Red Sox. This is where this trade, from what looked like an overpayment by Boston, could be just a minor sacrifice for what's to come. Craig Breslow keeps trying to dig harder for gold, but will he find it? That's the mystery here.
The Pirates will be getting a gem in Garcia, no doubt. But will the Red Sox do anything after this is the real question. What do they truly want to be?