PITTSBURGH -- Coming into Spring Training, Johan Oviedo didn’t have a guaranteed spot in the Pirates’ starting rotation. Now four months later, given the team’s lack of rotation depth, the Pirates need quality innings from him far more than originally anticipated.

Oviedo delivered Saturday when he recorded his second consecutive quality start in the Pirates’ 5-1 loss to the Mets at PNC Park, allowing two runs across 6 1/3 innings with five strikeouts to two walks. The 25-year-old has already thrown a career-high 71 1/3 innings this season, and as a core member of the rotation, his workload won’t be decreasing anytime soon.

“Everything was working,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He was really effective. He was in the zone. He was efficient. He did a really nice job. It was a well-pitched game for the first six innings on our end.

In mid-February, the Pirates had eight starting pitchers on their 40-man roster who stood to contribute Major League innings over the course of this season: Oviedo, Mitch Keller, Roansy Contreras, JT Brubaker, Rich Hill, Vince Velasquez, Mike Burrows and Luis L. Ortiz. That list is down to five.

On Wednesday, Velasquez underwent season-ending surgery to address damage to his right UCL. In April, Brubaker and Burrows, the Pirates’ No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline, both underwent season-ending UCL surgery.

In addition to the injuries to Brubaker, Burrows and Velasquez, Contreras’ short-term future in the rotation is murky due to recent struggles. The Pirates planned to move Contreras to the bullpen after posting a 5.64 ERA in his first four starts in May, but with Velasquez done for the season, they have kept Contreras in the rotation. In his past two starts following a cameo out of the bullpen, Contreras has allowed 12 runs across 4 1/3 innings.

There isn’t much starting depth at Triple-A Indianapolis either. Quinn Priester, the Pirates’ No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, likely requires more time with Indianapolis (4.63 ERA across 56 1/3 innings). Caleb Smith, who has made 64 Major League starts, is currently on the seven-day injured list. Through bad luck on the injury front, the Pirates are now relying on Oviedo to take the mound every five-or-so days for the next several months.

“Every time that I’m going out there, I’m always going to give my 100 percent,” Oviedo said. “This is the game I love and the game I’ve been playing my whole life. So every time that I go out there, it doesn’t matter what the situation is or what’s going on around me. I’m always going to give my 100 percent of what I have and try to compete. I like to win. So, I’m always going to push as hard as I can.”

Said Shelton on Friday, “We’re going to have to have different guys step up, whether it’s guys that are here or guys within the organization. Just like when we’ve lost relievers or position players before, then the next guy’s got to step up. It tests our depth a little bit.”

Over the last several weeks, Oviedo has shaken off one of the rougher stretches of his Major League career and done his part to put the Pirates in a position to win.

In late April and early May, Oviedo had a three-start stretch in which he allowed 17 earned runs across 12 2/3 innings against the Dodgers, Nationals and Blue Jays. His ERA jumped from 2.22 to 5.59 after those three starts.

But over his last six starts, Oviedo has allowed 10 earned runs across 34 1/3 innings (2.62 ERA). The right-hander has pitched at least six innings in his last two starts, the first time he’s done so since early-April, when he tossed three consecutive quality starts. Oviedo has had his struggles with command, walking 19 batters during this current six-start stretch, but the right-hander has only walked four batters over his last two starts.

“It’s a long season,” Oviedo said. “I try not to think about bad results. For me, today’s game still isn’t over in my mind, but tomorrow, it will be out of my mind. That’s how I try to keep it: focus on the next game, on the next pitch, on the next batter.”