January 13, 2026
David Frerker/Imagn Images
New Phillies reliever Chase Shugart made 35 appearances for the Pirates last season, posting a 3.40 ERA.
The Phillies made another move to try and stock up their bullpen on Tuesday, all while the Bo Bichette noise possibly ramps up in the background.
The club acquired right-handed reliever Chase Shugart from the Pirates, sending minor-league infielder Francisco Loreto back over to Pittsburgh in return.
Shugart, 29, made 35 appearances for the Pirates in 2025, pitching 45.0 innings in total. He posted a 3.40 ERA, a 1.111 WHIP, and a 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings rate while going 4-3 on what was, by all accounts, a pretty bad Pittsburgh club.
Welcome to Philly, Chase!
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) January 13, 2026
The Phillies have acquired RHP Chase Shugart from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league INF Francisco Loreto. With today’s transaction, the Phillies 40-man roster is currently at 40 players. pic.twitter.com/M9ItUrmpYP
At the cost of an 18-year-old prospect who isn't anywhere close to the majors right now, this might prove a shrewd move by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who has seemed to go around this winter looking for as much affordable bullpen help as he can muster after seeing his club get burned by poor relief pitching at the worst possible time the past couple of years.
Shugart adds to the list of wintertime relief additions between Brad Keller, Jonathan Bowlan, Kyle Backhus, and Zach Pop, who will each be reporting to Clearwater for Spring Training next month either looking to reinforce the Phillies' bullpen or to carve out a steady major league role.
Until then, some bigger Phillies headlines, i.e. Bichette and the status of J.T. Realmuto, are being waited on by fans to appear on the radar.
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