Unexpected Pirates-Red Sox trade finally brings power prospect Pittsburgh's hoped for

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally did something that feels different.

In a five-player deal that came together fast and loud, the Pirates sent right-hander Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox and came away with the one thing they’ve been starving for: a legitimate power prospect. Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia is headed to Pittsburgh, with left-hander Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman moving to Boston as part of the return package, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Pittsburgh will also receive pitching prospect Jesus Travieso as part of the deal, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.

In Oviedo, Boston gets a capable back-end starter who posted a 3.57 ERA in nine starts for the Pirates last season. He struck out 42 hitters in 40 1/3 innings during that span. He is set to earn a very team-friendly $2 million in 2026 and still has two additional seasons of arbitration eligibility remaining.

In Garcia, the Pirates get Boston's No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2025 and has several years of team control remaining and won't even be eligible for arbitration until 2029 –– which just so happens to be Paul Skenes' final year of arbitration eligibility.

Pirates finally deal from pitching depth to acquire a bat with thump in Jhostynxon Garcia

For years, Pittsburgh has asked fans to be patient while cycling through “contact-first” bats and “projectable” power. Garcia isn’t a promise. He’s a threat. At his best, he’s the kind of outfielder who changes how a lineup feels on deck — not just a guy who puts the ball in play, but one who makes pitchers care.

This is the sort of hitter the fan base has begged for in every comment section, every radio call-in, every February tweet about “one more bat.” The Pirates didn’t nibble here. They reached for a hitter with real upside and didn’t apologize for it.

Oviedo mattered here. With a rotation that prides itself on depth, losing a big-armed righty still hurts — especially one who flashed the kind of stuff that plays in October when everything tightens and every pitch gets magnified. Sending him to Boston means the Pirates are betting that offense is the scarcer resource than innings right now. That’s a bet Pittsburgh hasn’t always been willing to make, so this signals a major shift in the front office's thinking.

This deal doesn’t scream “rebuild asset swap.” It screams “direction.” The Pirates didn’t just convert pitching into lottery tickets. They targeted a type — power — and paid for it. That’s a notable turn from a club that’s long leaned into value hunting and depth building.

It also lines up with what fans have begged for: stop stockpiling the same profiles and diversify the pipeline. You can develop pitchers in Pittsburgh. You buy or trade for hitters with teeth.

Garcia instantly becomes one of the more exciting bats in the Pirates' lineup — and the kind of player fans will track every night. If he hits, the Pirates didn’t just acquire a prospect. They acquired a possible middle-of-the-order solution. And if that happens? This trade becomes a before-and-after moment.

This isn’t just another transaction. It’s a statement that Pittsburgh finally listened when fans screamed for power instead of patience. Oviedo to Boston hurts. But Garcia to Pittsburgh changes the conversation.

For once, it feels like the Pirates didn’t play it safe. They played it loud.