MILWAUKEE -- Pirates reliever Chase Shugart had been waiting a while for his moment.
Shugart landed on the injured list on July 8 with left knee inflammation. After a rehab assignment, he returned to the Major Leagues on Monday when the Pirates activated him, and he saw action right away.
The 28-year-old right-hander, a 2018 12th-round pick of the Red Sox acquired by the Pirates in January in exchange for Minor League pitcher Matt McShane, entered Monday night’s game against the Brewers in the fifth and came out throwing strikes.
Shugart relieved Andrew Heaney (5-10), who struggled through another start, and went on to pitch three impressive innings, giving up one run on two hits while striking out five and not walking a batter. He threw 44 pitches (30 strikes), serving as a bright spot in a mostly frustrating game for the Pirates, who fell 7-1.
“It was a longer road than I ever expected when I first went down with the injury,” Shugart said. “Precautions were taken. It just feels good to be back out there and be able to have the success I had tonight.”
Shugart made his Major League debut with the Red Sox on Aug. 15, 2024, and pitched in six games for the team. Monday marked his 33rd appearance for the Pirates this season.
“This was probably my best outing in the big leagues,” Shugart said. “It feels good knowing the work I put in over the past month that helped me get to this point. I’m just going to try to keep it rolling.”
Physically, Shugart came through the outing in good shape.
“I feel good. A little tired,” he said. “The knee feels good. The body feels good. I’m in a good spot. I’m ready to ride it through to the end of the season.”
Shugart’s stellar effort out of the bullpen came against the league’s hottest team, which has won 10 straight.
“It’s a scrappy lineup,” he said. “They’re putting contact on the ball, and they’ll fight you on pitches that you think would end up punching them out. Just being able to execute and get them out of their rhythm was probably key to the success today.”
Shugart’s goals are simple for the remainder of the season.
“Attacking the strike zone, making pitches when I need to make pitches. It’s the same game [as it was] when I started playing,” he said. “I just want to put myself in a position to keep my name on the map and get ready to roll into next year. Take the ball when I’m told to and give it back whenever they take it from me.”
Shugart’s outing impressed batterymate Joey Bart.
“He really helped us out, picked us up,” Bart said. “Sharp. Executed a lot of pitches. Velocity was good. It was good to see. Really impressed.”
Manager Don Kelly shared those sentiments.
“Picked us up big time, especially with the bullpen being so beat up. He did a great job,” Kelly said. “That first inning, I think it was 10 pitches. Just pounding the zone. He got ahead of guys, and he did a really good job.”
Bart stood out at the plate on a night when Pirates batters managed just three hits. He tied the game with a solo homer in the third off Brewers starter Jose Quintana (10-4) for just his second long ball of the season and first since April 7.
“It felt good,” Bart said. “Trying to work on getting better. Making adjustments. It’s been a while.”
Despite a lack of hits and run production against Quintana and two relievers, Bart felt the Pirates managed good swings. The Bucs had scored 57 runs in their first 10 games in August, third most in the Major Leagues, trailing only the Brewers (70) and Blue Jays (63).
“There are a lot of guys in this clubhouse that crushed baseballs tonight. It just didn’t seem to go our way,” Bart said. “It was kind of sickening watching it. But that’s the game. A lot of good swings. There’s been some good energy floating around here this month. Everybody is pulling on the same rope, trying to score runs. You’re going to have days like today where things don’t fall. You just have to stay locked in.”