BREAKING: Red Sox sign another key man from Pirates after including a 50-game suspension to positive drug test for banned

On Wednesday, the Pirates bolstered their bullpen by acquiring reliever Brett de Geus, who was recently designated for assignment (DFA’d), in a cash trade with the Blue Jays. However, Pittsburgh isn’t stopping there in its search for pitching depth. On Friday, FanSided insider Robert Murray reported that the Pirates would also be trading for Red Sox reliever Chase Shugart, another recently DFA’d player, in exchange for prospect Matt McShane, a 13th-round draft pick in 2023.

Shugart was removed from the Red Sox’s roster after Boston acquired Blake Sabol from the Giants, sending international bonus pool money to San Francisco in return.

Drafted in the 12th round by the Red Sox in 2018, Shugart didn’t reach the majors until 2024, six years into his professional career. During his brief MLB stint, he pitched 8 2/3 innings in relief, allowing four earned runs—three of which came in a tough September outing against the White Sox. His Triple-A stats don’t inspire much confidence in his long-term potential as a major leaguer, with an 8.22 ERA in 2023 and 4.46 in 2024. Still, he offers the Pirates a bit of major league experience and could provide depth in a pinch.

The Pirates’ acquisition of Shugart reflects their willingness to take a chance on reclamation projects. Shugart’s time in the Red Sox system was rocky, marked by a 50-game suspension in 2019 for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs and two stints on the Development List in 2023 due to struggles on the mound. Initially graded as a potential starter, he was transitioned to a bullpen role in 2022 upon reaching Double-A and has remained there since. Over 148 1/3 career innings at Triple-A, Shugart has posted a 6.13 ERA.

While Shugart’s track record leaves plenty of room for skepticism, the Pirates might hope to tap into some untapped potential. At the very least, he appears to have slightly more upside than de Geus, who bounced between three different major league teams in 2024. Shugart may not be a game-changing addition, but he could eat some innings for Pittsburgh in 2025.