Pirates All 40: Chase Shugart Made the Most of His Chance
This is one in a series breaking down players on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.
Not many would have guess that Chase Shugart would carve out a role with the Pirates in 2025, but the right-hander made the most of the extended opportunity he received.
Shugart was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox last offseason after makings his MLB debut in 2024. The Pirates picked him up before optioning him to Triple-A Indianapolis during roster cuts in spring training.
But once the season started, Shugart didn’t have to wait long to join Pittsburgh in the big leagues. The Pirates recalled the 29-year-old from Indianapolis on April 6. He was sent back down six days later before he was quickly brought back up again a few days after that.
Shugart’s second stint with the Pirates lasted much longer than his first. Through his first 31 appearances of the season, Shugart owned a 2.97 ERA across 36.1 innings, often coming into games with runners on base and finding ways to prevent them from scoring.
But Shugart allowed four runs in 2.2 innings against the Kansas City Royals on July 7 and was placed on the injured list the following day with with left knee inflammation, an ailment that kept him sidelined for over a month.
After he was activated from the injured list, Shugart made just three appearances with the Pirates over the last seven weeks of the season and spent the majority of the time back with Indianapolis.
On the surface, it was a solid first season in Pittsburgh. Across 35 appearances, Shugart finished with a 3.40 ERA and held opponents to a .206 batting average. But a lack of strikeouts (6.2 per nine innings) and a 4.69 FIP are warning signs of potential regression.
With a minor-league option remaining, Shugart at the very least provides the Pirates with bullpen depth. If he stays on the roster all offseason, he’ll likely be in competition to earn a spot to be in uniform for Opening Day 2026.
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Good depth at the very least. There’s something to be said about guys who just manage to get outs even though their peripherals or their stuff aren’t the greatest. It can’t always be chalked up to luck. He just misses barrels.