The Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates have become frequent trade partners since Craig Breslow took over as chief baseball officer.
Boston acquired depth starter and former first-round pick Quinn Priester and minor-league righty pitcher Joe Vogatsky from Pittsburgh since the 2024 trade deadline, and the partners made another trade on Jan. 17. The Red Sox sent reliever Chase Shugart to the Pirates in exchange for pitcher Matt McShane, first reported by MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSidedd.
Shugart was recently designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for recent Red Sox catching acquisition Blake Sabol. Shugart could've cleared waivers and remained in the Red Sox organization, but it's nice to see Boston get a return for him.
Shugart spent much of the 2024 season in Triple-A but debuted for the Red Sox late in the campaign. He posted a 4.46 ERA with 80 strikeouts and 32 walks over 70.2 innings for the WooSox. The righty is primarily a reliever but made five starts for Worcester last year. He clocked a 4.15 ERA over 8.2 innings across six relief appearances in the big leagues.
Red Sox trade Chase Shugart to Pirates for pitcher Matt McShane
The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring right-hander Chase Shugart in a trade with the Boston Red Sox for right-hander Matt McShane, according to sources familiar with the deal. Shugart was recently designated for assignment by the Red Sox.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 17, 2025
The Pirates drafted McShane in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of St. Joseph's University. The 22-year-old has not made a professional appearance yet, but he pitched to a 3.76 ERA over 119.2 innings with the Hawks.
Shugart will join infielders Nick Yorke and Enmanuel Valdez as former Red Sox on the Pirates' roster. As Breslow has prioritized pitching additions, Boston and Pittsburgh have become well-acquainted. The Sox have received a pitcher back in return for all three trades the teams have made since the 2024 trade deadline.