Johan Oviedo acknowledged that a potential return to the Pirates is starting to feel more real after throwing a side session this afternoon at PNC Park before traveling back to Altoona to continue his rehab from a right lat strain that put him back on the shelf during spring training.
Oviedo, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, has appeared in four minor-league games between the Florida Complex League Pirates, low Class A Bradenton and Class AA Altoona during his rehab assignment. He most recently allowed a run on three hits with three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings for Altoona on Friday.
"During the rehab process, there's a lot of ups and downs," Oviedo said. "I've just learned how to navigate the waves with how I feel and how things go in the games, to try to be patient and try to accept what the batters give me that day. Right now, I'm feeling in a really good spot and I'm really looking forward to coming back to the team."
Don Kelly said this afternoon that the plan is for Oviedo to remain a starter moving forward. However, he isn't yet going to commit to utilizing him in that role 100% of the time once he returns to the big leagues.
"We want to get him to get to that point and be healthy and be ready to rejoin the group," Kelly said. "I know at the beginning before he pulled the lat, we were maybe looking at having him in the bullpen as a bulk guy and transitioning, but I think long term, we definitely see him as a starter."
"Right now, it's been more about getting ready to start," Oviedo said. "The whole conversation's been about hitting five innings. That's what I know and that's what I'm trying to focus on right now, just trying to hit those five innings and let the team decide what I have to be or where I can help."
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THE ASYLUM
Oviedo navigating 'the waves'
Johan Oviedo acknowledged that a potential return to the Pirates is starting to feel more real after throwing a side session this afternoon at PNC Park before traveling back to Altoona to continue his rehab from a right lat strain that put him back on the shelf during spring training.
Oviedo, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, has appeared in four minor-league games between the Florida Complex League Pirates, low Class A Bradenton and Class AA Altoona during his rehab assignment. He most recently allowed a run on three hits with three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings for Altoona on Friday.
"During the rehab process, there's a lot of ups and downs," Oviedo said. "I've just learned how to navigate the waves with how I feel and how things go in the games, to try to be patient and try to accept what the batters give me that day. Right now, I'm feeling in a really good spot and I'm really looking forward to coming back to the team."
Don Kelly said this afternoon that the plan is for Oviedo to remain a starter moving forward. However, he isn't yet going to commit to utilizing him in that role 100% of the time once he returns to the big leagues.
"We want to get him to get to that point and be healthy and be ready to rejoin the group," Kelly said. "I know at the beginning before he pulled the lat, we were maybe looking at having him in the bullpen as a bulk guy and transitioning, but I think long term, we definitely see him as a starter."
"Right now, it's been more about getting ready to start," Oviedo said. "The whole conversation's been about hitting five innings. That's what I know and that's what I'm trying to focus on right now, just trying to hit those five innings and let the team decide what I have to be or where I can help."
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