Johan Oviedo #24

Johan Oviedo (pronounced YO-hahn oh-vee-YAY-doh)... Defected from Cuba at age 15 and lived in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic before settling in Jacksonville, Florida at age 18... Brought his family to the United States from Cuba in the 2022-23 offseason... As a youth, also played volleyball and did kickboxing competitively in Cuba... In his free time, he enjoys going to the beach, fishing and grilling with his friends and family...His specialty on the charcoal grill are tomahawk steaks and ribeye steaks... Learned English through trying to communicate with teammates in the Minor Leagues.

2023

Spent entire season in the starting rotation and shared the team lead in starts (32) with Mitch Keller… Posted the eighth-lowest batting average against (.238) among National League starting pitchers…Made 15 starts where he allowed one or no runs; tied for the second-most such starts among Major League pitchers...They were also the most for a Pirates pitcher since Francisco Liriano had 15 in 2013…Made his 2023 debut in the fourth game of the season on 4/3 at Boston and received a no-decision (4.2ip/5r/4er)… Won his first decision after tossing 6.2 scoreless innings in a 1-0 shutout on 4/9 vs. Chicago (AL)…Started against his former team on 4/14 at St. Louis and struck out a career-high 10 batters in 7.0ip…Tossed 15.1 consecutive scoreless innings from 4/3-14...Threw an “immaculate inning” while suffering a 3-2 loss on 5/24 vs. Texas (5.2ip/3er); was the second such performance by a Bucco pitcher in 2023 (also Colin Holderman on 5/4) and fifth overall…Allowed just one hit (solo homer) and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts in 7.0ip on 7/15 vs. San Francisco (no-decision)…Threw a career-high 112 pitches while recording his first Major League shutout/complete game (two-hitter) on 8/28 at Kansas City…Underwent right elbow UCL reconstructive surgery on Dec. 6 by Dr. Keith Meister. 

2022

Went a combined 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA (56.0ip/20er) in 21 appearances (eight starts) between St. Louis and Pittsburgh…Began the season with Memphis (Cardinals’ Triple-A) before being recalled by St. Louis on 6/3…Made season debut with the Cardinals as a starter on 6/4 at Wrigley Field (game one) and suffered the loss (5.0ip/3er)…Made his next 13 appearances out of the bullpen… Went 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA (20.1ip/6er) and 21 strikeouts in his 13 relief appearances with the Cardinals…Was acquired from St. Louis on 8/1 and assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis… Posted an 0.79 ERA (11.1ip/1er) and struck out 13 batters in his five games (four starts) with Indianapolis during the month of August…Was recalled on 9/1…Made his Pirates debut as a starter on 9/2 vs. Toronto and pitched 3.0 scoreless innings… Started and lost game two of a doubleheader against the Mets on 9/7; walked five batters and was charged with four runs in 1.2 innings…Gave up one hit in 5.0 scoreless innings while picking up his first win with the Pirates on 9/13 at Cincinnati (game one)…Tossed 7.0 scoreless innings and retired the last 16 batters he faced while winning his second game on 9/24 vs. Chicago (NL). 

2021

Pitched 116.2 innings between St. Louis and Memphis (AAA) with a 1-11 record and 5.47 ERA over 24 starts totaling 26 appearances... Did not make the Opening Day roster but was recalled from the Alternate Training Site (Memphis) on April 11 and made his 2021 debut in relief vs. MIL, his only relief appearance of the season tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with two hits and four strikeouts... Ranked 6th among Cardinals pitchers with 13 starts and 9th with 51 strikeouts despite not appearing in a Major League game after July 25... Pitched a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings, scattering six hits vs. MIA (6/16) in a no-decision the Cardinals won on a walk-off single by Yadier Molina in the bottom of the 9th inning... Knocked in an RBI in his first career Major League plate appearance, grounding out in the 2nd inning vs. MIL (4/11). Became the first Cardinals pitcher with an RBI in his first plate appearance since Mark Worrell at WSH (6/5/2008- Game 2)... Walked a career-high six batters twice (5/28 at ARI & 7/25 at CIN) in games the Cardinals won, falling two outs shy (4.1 IP) of qualifying to record his first Major League win while hitting pitch counts over 90 each time... Made 11 starts and appeared in 12 minor league games at Memphis posting a 1-6 record with a 6.13 ERA.

2020

Became the fifth pitcher born in Cuba to start a game for the franchise (eighth pitcher to appear in a game) and the 21st player overall to appear in a game for the Cardinals (see chart)...First two career starts and three of five starts came in the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader...Cardinals were 0-5 in games he pitched in during 2020...Received zero or one run of support in all five of his starts...Was 0-2 with a 5.28 ERA in three starts following 6+ days of rest between starts...Established career-highs for innings pitched (5.1), runs allowed (6) and strikeouts (5) in his last start of the year at Milwaukee on 9/16. 2020.

POSTSEASON: Was on the postseason roster but did not appear in any of the three Wild Card Series games in San Diego.