Pirates fans can't believe how former reliever is performing with Phillies right now

Sometimes the most frustrating roster losses are not the stars. They are the marginal arms who leave quietly, land somewhere else, and immediately become exactly the kind of player the Pittsburgh Pirates could use. That is what makes Chase Shugart’s early success with the Philadelphia Phillies so irritating.

Shugart was never treated like a major piece of the Pirates’ bullpen puzzle. He came over from the Boston Red Sox before the 2025 season, pitched well enough in Pittsburgh to post a 3.40 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 45 innings, and still found himself designated for assignment before the 2026 campaign. The Pirates ultimately traded him to Philadelphia for 18-year-old infielder Francisco Loreto.

At the time, it barely registered as a major loss. Shugart looked like replaceable relief depth, the kind of arm every organization churns through while trying to find higher-upside options. Except now he is thriving for a Phillies team that just swept the Pirates at PNC Park, which makes the whole thing sting a little more.

Chase Shugart's dominant run with Phillies makes Pirates look foolish

Through 13 appearances with Philadelphia, Shugart has allowed only three earned runs while striking out 15 batters, good for a 1.72 ERA. He has limited traffic, handled hitters from both sides and given interim manager Don Mattingly a reliable multi-inning option in a bullpen that badly needed one.

That last part is what should bother Pirates fans most.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has been a recurring headache this season. Between late-inning meltdowns, inconsistent command and a shortage of trustworthy bridge arms, the Pirates have spent far too many nights watching winnable games slip away after the starter exits. So, yes, seeing Shugart fire two scoreless innings against his former team in Philadelphia’s wild comeback win felt like an especially cruel twist.

To be clear, this does not mean the Pirates made some unforgivable, franchise-altering mistake. Relievers are volatile. Teams lose arms like this all the time. Shugart’s current run may not last forever.

But it is still fair to question the process when a pitcher who was perfectly useful in Pittsburgh suddenly becomes one of the Phillies’ most dependable relievers while the Pirates are still searching for stability in their own bullpen.

The Pirates did not give away a superstar. They gave away a margin. But for a team trying to hang around in a competitive National League Central race, those margins are exactly where games are won and lost.

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