ST. LOUIS — Johan Oviedo doesn’t want to focus on the past. He’d rather look forward.
Sure, he signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent on July 2, 2016, and pitched parts of three seasons with St. Louis from 2020-22. Had plenty of good times here, too.
But Oviedo, who now occupies a regular rotation spot with the Pirates, will have a different set of goals when he takes the mound at Busch Stadium on Friday and starts against his former team.
“I wanna try to win the game and help us win the series,” Oviedo said. “We’re all excited about the season.”
It’s not that Oviedo harbors any sort of ill will against the Cardinals — or, if he does, he’s not about to discuss it publicly. He certainly appreciated the talented players he was around and the expectations that were placed on him.
After making the jump from rookie league to affiliated ball in 2017, Oviedo racked up some impressive strikeout totals over the next handful of years and had flashes of becoming a truly dominant starting pitcher.
Oviedo also went through some stuff. He made his MLB debut in 2020, potentially before he was ready, when he was just 22. The big right-hander had a 5.47 ERA in five starts.
The next season, Oviedo appeared in 14 MLB games (13 starts) and dropped his ERA to 4.91, toting around an alarming number (5.3) of walks per nine innings. St. Louis bounced him to the bullpen in 2022, and the results — a 3.20 ERA and a walks-per-nine of 2.5 — seemed to indicate comfort.
However, the trade that brought Oviedo to Pittsburgh has been nothing short of life-changing for him.
The Pirates took a step back and started Oviedo in the minor leagues, believing he’d be better served refining his mechanics before more major league competition. They also wanted Oviedo to figure himself out as a pitcher — how he wanted to attack hitters, where he could go when nothing else was working and to carve out some sort of identity.
“I’m so happy I got the chance to start games with the Pirates,” Oviedo said. “It’s a blessing. They’ve believed in me. Definitely trying to do my best.”
This version of Oviedo has been really fun to watch. In spring training, Oviedo made an adjustment to have his arm more out front while delivering the ball. Though minor, Oviedo has liked how it has helped him better control his fastball, as well as his slider.
Oviedo has also been pitching with plenty of confidence, for the first time in a long time trusting his stuff and having the necessary conviction to attack hitters, a far cry from the afraid-to-make-mistakes version of himself that previously pitched at Busch.
“I like what I’ve been doing,” Oviedo said. “I like what I’ve been doing with the coaches. I’m excited but never satisfied. It’s a long season. Right now, I’m just trying to do my routine so I can be ready.”
Pitching at Busch Stadium feels like any other park to Oviedo, who will be making his 16th appearance and ninth start here. He has a 3.67 ERA in his previous ones, with 18 strikeouts and 44 strikeouts in 54 innings.
Oviedo appreciates the fans’ passion, but that’s really the case for him anywhere. There will also be a few familiar faces on the other side — guys he saw late last season at PNC Park — but the goal and the primary competitor remains the same.
“I face myself every time that I go out there,” Oviedo said. “That’s all I can control. Just worry about what I can do. The rest still takes care of itself.”
New faces
The Pirates will have some familiar faces join them on this road trip, which means that a couple roster moves will be coming, as well.
Manager Derek Shelton said he expects Austin Hedges (concussion) and Robert Stephenson (right elbow inflammation) to join the team at some point between Friday and next Wednesday in Denver.
In Hedges’ case, that will likely mean designating Tyler Heineman for assignment. It’s less clear in the bullpen, where Shelton and general manager Ben Cherington will have a difficult decision to make.
Brubaker reaction
News of JT Brubaker having Tommy John surgery broke after Shelton’s postgame media availability on Wednesday, so Thursday was the first chance to ask him about the season-ending injury to a pitcher who was showing plenty of promise during spring training.
Shelton said he texted with Brubaker following his surgery on Wednesday.
“It’s tough,” Shelton said. “Any time you have an injury, you feel for the human being first. I think when he went [for a second opinion Tuesday], he had a pretty good idea that’s what it was going to be. But you’re never fully prepared for it.
“I texted with him a little bit [Wednesday] after he got out. He seemed like he was in pretty good spirits. Now it’s just dominating the rehab.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: April 14, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
