Pirates Place Relief Pitcher on Injured List

Shugart pitched the last game for the Pirates in the series opener vs. the Kansas City Royals at Kaufmann Stadium on July 7. He tied his season-high with four earned runs allowed and a season-high two home runs allowed over 2.2 innings and 42 pitches in a 9-2 defeat.

The Pirates landed Shugart in a trade with the Boston Red Sox on Jan. 17, for fellow right-handed pitcher Matt McShane.

Shugart started the season with Triple-A Indianapolis, before the Pirates recalled him on April 6, placing fellow right-handed relief pitcher Colin Holderman on the 15-day injured list with a left knee sprain.

He came out of the bullpen three times over the next six days with the Pirates, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing no runs, just two hits and two walks and posting two strikeouts.

The Pirates then optioned Shugart back to Indianapolis on April 12 as they recalled catcher Henry Davis.

Shugart then returned to Pittsburgh on April 15, as the Pirates recalled him and placed catcher/infielder Endy Rodríguez on the injured list with a right index finger laceration.

He has played with the Pirates since then and has a 4-3 record in 32 appearances this season, with a 3.69 ERA over 39.0 innings pitched, 22 strikeouts to 15 walks and a .214 opposing batting average.

Shugart has done well for most of the season, allowing 11 of his 16 earned runs in just three appearances. He has 25 scoreless outings of the 32 he's appeared in for Pittsburgh and only given up two runs or more in four games.

This injury for the Pirates is one of many for their bullpen. Both right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence and left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza are on the 60-day injured list with right elbow discomfort and left shoulder lat muscle strain, respectively.

Left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki recently went on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation, and both right-handed pitchers in Dauri Moreta and Holderman recently finished rehab assignments and are with Indianapolis.

The Pirates now have seven relievers in their bullpen, including right-handed pitchers in Braxton Ashcraft, David Bednar, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski and Dennis Santana, plus left-handed pitchers in Génesis Cabrera and Caleb Ferguson.