Bold take: the Red Sox have a genuine rotation competition brewing, and the early spring spotlight on Johan Oviedo isn’t the full story yet—but it’s a crucial warning that nothing’s settled. And this is the part most people miss: one imperfect inning early in camp doesn’t declare the winner of the No. 5 spot, yet it can illuminate the gaps that veterans and prized prospects will be chasing all spring.
Fort Myers, Fla. — When asked before the game how the battle for the club’s No. 5 starter would unfold, Boston manager Alex Cora urged patience. He reminded the room that it’s still early in camp, and a rough outing doesn’t automatically disqualify anyone from contention.
Even with that context, Johan Oviedo’s first spring appearance left observers with more questions than answers. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound right-hander, who was acquired last fall from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Jhostynxon Garcia deal, flashed potential and plenty of room for improvement. He walked three over 1 2/3 innings against Minnesota, landing 15 of 33 pitches for strikes, allowing one hit and recording one strikeout.
“Not the worst but definitely not the best,” Oviedo summed up after the outing. “Got the first one out, but looking at the good things, I got ahead but couldn’t finish. I’ve got to keep working on the shapes and keep getting better this spring.”
The trouble began in the bottom of the first. Oviedo plunked Byron Buxton, issued a pair of walks to Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner to load the bases, then maneuvered out of danger with a strikeout-induced double play from Ryan Jeffers to escape unscathed.
The second inning offered a repeat example of his control issues: a leadoff walk and a single set the table, a lineout followed, and a wild pitch moved two runners into scoring position before Oviedo earned a strikeout to end the frame.
He finished by striking out Gio Urshela, reached his pitch limit, and handed the ball to minor leaguer Jay Allmer. Allmer preserved the scoreless line with a bases-loaded finish, fielding the final out on a foul ball to strand the runners.
Afterward, Oviedo explained his goal: to attack hitters early in the count and sharpen his breaking stuff, even while acknowledging today wasn’t his sharpest showing compared with his recent live batting practice.
“Not the greatest; my live was better than today,” Oviedo said. “I was getting ahead 1-0, but after that I’d lose it a bit.”
Oviedo opened camp as the expected frontrunner for the No. 5 job, but he faces stiff competition from promising youngsters Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, both of whom turned in strong first spring outings. Veterans Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are still in the mix as options who could slide into the rotation, but they’re behind the faster-moving prospects in the early progression race and may not be ready for Opening Day.
If you’re watching this competition closely, you’ll notice a recurring theme: the balance between command and raw stuff, and how quickly spring performances can tilt expectations. Oviedo’s challenge is translating the live-bat confidence into consistent strikes, while Early and Tolle push to demonstrate that their spring shine isn’t a one-off. The early returns suggest the No. 5 spot will remain unsettled for a while, with every outing shaping the committee.
Question for readers: Should the Red Sox prioritize limiting risks and building depth now, or push aggressively to lock in a clear No. 5 by mid-spring even if it means sooner-than-expected risk to Opening Day plans? Share your take in the comments: would you rather see Oviedo seize the role, or prefer Early or Tolle to take the reins if they continue to perform well?
