Alex Cora: Red Sox Pitcher’s Unexpected Injury Surprise
Boston placed right-hander Johan Oviedo on the 15-day injured list Friday with a right elbow strain. The move came four days after his regular season debut in Houston.
Oviedo worked 3 2/3 innings in relief during that outing. He allowed four earned runs against the Astros.
Manager’s remarks and testing
Manager Alex Cora addressed the issue before Boston’s home opener against the San Diego Padres. He spoke with reporters, according to Filmogaz.com’s Chris Cotillo.
Cora said Oviedo threw in Houston and felt fine the next day. The pitcher later reported soreness, underwent X-rays, and then had an MRI. The X-rays were inconclusive, and the MRI revealed the elbow problem.
Velocity trend and context
Cora noted a drop in velocity after spring work in Dunedin. Oviedo reached 98-99 mph in that outing, then showed a downward trend. Alex Cora called the Red Sox pitcher’s unexpected injury a surprise to the staff.
Medical history and next steps
Oviedo underwent Tommy John surgery following the 2023 season while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He missed the entire 2024 campaign during recovery.
He is scheduled to see Dr. Meister, the surgeon who performed his TJ operation. The plan is to compare the new MRI with the one taken at the time of surgery, Jen McCaffrey of Filmogaz.com posted on Bluesky.
Her post was timestamped April 3, 2026, at 10:24 a.m. The club expects more clarity after the specialist’s review this week.
Roster implications
The Red Sox will determine next steps after the MRI comparison. Cora said the organization must be patient while evaluating the results.
Until then, Oviedo remains on the 15-day injured list. The team will monitor him closely as they await the doctor’s assessment.
