(Photo by Michael Laughlin/AP)

Johan Oviedo hasn’t had the easiest season in 2023. 

Although he is starting to turn a corner, he’s still had his struggles. His 4.46 ERA is amongst the highest on the Pirates pitching roster. His 61 bases on balls given is the highest on the Pirates. And his 13 credited losses lead all of Major League Baseball. 

But if there’s one thing Oviedo has consistently done well, it’s showing up his former team: the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Last August, the Cardinals traded Oviedo to the Pirates in a deal that saw minor leagues swap teams, and relief pitcher Chris Stratton go to St. Louis. 

Ever since arriving in Pittsburgh, Oviedo has started in four games against his old club in St. Louis, and each game has been some of his work to date. 

In those four contests against the Cardinals, Oviedo has given up just 21 total hits. Despite giving up two home runs, he’s allowed just 7 total runs against St. Louis. 

Of those 21 total hits, just 5 went for extra bases (all of which were doubles). 

He’s struck out 20, or 22.7% of 88 total at bats he’s faced, while issuing only 4 walks in the process. 

His last two starts of the 2022 season both came against St. Louis, where he pitched 10.0 total innings between both games, allowing just 4 total earned runs against in that time frame. He added 5 strikeouts to that as well. 

Unfortunately for Oviedo, he would get stuck with a 2-1 loss in that first game, and no decision in an eventual 5-3 win in the second game. 

Now in 2023, Oviedo has only expanded on his impressive pitching against his old team. 

In his first start against St. Louis this year, Oviedo pitched 7.0 total innings, tied for his longest time on the mound in 2023. In that game, he allowed just 1 earned run against in a game the Pirates would lose control late, and lose 3-0.

That game was no fault of Oviedo, however, who struck out 10 batters, also tying a season high for the 

His latest outing continued the trend: Oviedo put together a strong performance as he starts to turn his season around here in late August. 

On Tuesday night against the Cardinals, Oviedo pitched 5 solid innings in Pittsburgh’s 6-3 win at PNC Park. 

He struck out 5 and only walked a batter once, picking up the win. His only real mistake was the solo home run given up to Richie Palacios (who is the brother of Pittsburgh’s Joshua Palacios), but other than that, he pitched a really good game. 

Oviedo hasn’t always been given good run support by a hot and cold Pirates offense, but he got some insurance last night to boost his outing as the Pirates lit up Adam Wainwright for 6 runs. 

Wainwright’s harsh season continues, and last night’s fifth inning collapse (which saw him give up five runs) have once again skyrocketed his ERA, which now stands at 8.61 ERA, a staggering number for the right handed veteran. 

As for Oviedo, Tuesday was the third time in five starts this month where the 25 year old has given up just one earned run or fewer. 

It’s a trend Oviedo hopes to maintain as the Pirates season begins to wind down.