PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to make moves this offseason, exploring opportunities to add players from other teams.
According to Robert Murray of FanSided, the Pirates have acquired right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for fellow right-handed pitcher Matt McShane. The Red Sox had designated Shugart for assignment, and Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports that the deal is pending a physical.
Shugart, a native of Bridge City, Texas—a small town of around 10,000 residents—played high school baseball at Bridge City High. As a junior in 2014, he impressed with a 10-1 record, 1.64 ERA, and 127 strikeouts over 72.2 innings. He further improved during his senior year in 2015, finishing 10-2 with a remarkable 0.67 ERA.
Despite his high school success, Shugart went undrafted in 2015 and went on to play college baseball at Texas. As a freshman reliever in 2016, he appeared in 32 games, posting a 4.53 ERA over 43.2 innings with 38 strikeouts and 24 walks. In 2017, his sophomore year, he made 29 relief appearances, going 3-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 42 innings. Shugart transitioned to a starter in 2018, making 15 starts in 21 appearances. He went 6-3 with a 4.64 ERA over 95 innings, tallying 69 strikeouts to 41 walks, while helping Texas reach the College World Series.
The Red Sox selected Shugart in the 12th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, prompting him to forgo his senior year at Texas. He began his professional career with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and the Lowell Spinners in the Low-A New York-Penn League in 2018.
However, Shugart faced challenges early in his professional career. The MLB suspended him for 50 games in 2019 following a second positive test under the drug prevention and treatment program. He returned to pitch for the Single-A Greenville Drive later that season, posting a 6-4 record in 16 starts with a 2.81 ERA over 89.2 innings, along with 73 strikeouts and a .253 opposing batting average.
Shugart missed the 2020 season due to the pandemic-related cancellation of minor league baseball but returned in 2021 with Greenville, now a High-A team. That year, he went 6-6 in 22 starts with a 4.78 ERA across 105.1 innings, striking out 93 while walking 24.
In 2022, Shugart started the season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, where he posted a 3.77 ERA in 25 relief appearances spanning 31 innings. He was promoted to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox in July, making 20 relief appearances with a 6.82 ERA over 31.2 innings. Shugart spent all of 2023 with Worcester, struggling to an 8.22 ERA in 40 relief outings covering 46 innings.
Shugart made his MLB debut with Boston on August 15, 2024, pitching 2.2 innings in a road loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Over six games with Boston in 2024, he recorded a 4.15 ERA in 8.2 innings, striking out eight and walking three.
Meanwhile, the Pirates selected Matt McShane out of St. Joseph’s in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He pitched for the Florida Complex League Pirates last season.
This marks the second trade for the Pirates this week, following their acquisition of right-handed pitcher Brett De Geus from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations.
Leave a Reply