Pirates to Reinstate Key Bullpen Piece from IL

Pirates Reactivate Shugart

Shugart, 28, was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. He didn’t break spring training camp with Pittsburgh. It wasn’t long before he was called up to the big club after an injury to Colin Holderman. Shugart soon became an important bullpen piece for the Pirates. Before going on the IL with left knee inflammation on July 8, in 32 games, he was 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA, 5.21 FIP, 1.154 WHIP, and four holds. Those numbers are a bit misleading, however. Going into the fateful July 7 game when he suffered the injury and soldiered on for 2 2/3 innings, during which he gave up four earned runs, he had a more palatable 2.97 ERA and 4.26 FIP.

Shugart isn’t a big strikeout guy. He’s struck out just 13.8 percent of batters faced while walking a slightly above major league average 9.4 percent. However, he’s gotten the job done, holding opponents to a meager .214/.289/.407 slash line and a .209 BABIP. He pitched well during his rehab assignment at two minor league levels, giving up one earned run on two hits in six innings, striking out five and walking three.

Down Goes Moreta

Moreta, 29, becomes an unfortunate casualty of Saturday’s foolish decision to go with a bullpen game when the Pirates could have called up any one of their starting pitcher prospects from Indianapolis. With the bullpen covering four more innings on Sunday, a Monday roster move was inevitable. With several relievers likely unavailable for Monday’s game, Shugart comes off the IL just in time for the Pirates.

Meanwhile, except for a rough outing on Sunday, Moreta hasn’t pitched that poorly since coming off the IL himself on August 2. In five games covering 4 2/3 innings, he’s given up just the two earned runs on Sunday. The choice of Moreta to go to Indy may have had more to do with the fact that he has minor league options remaining. So, too, does 28-year-old right-hander Cam Sanders, who was called up for the first time last Tuesday. Sanders, the feel-good story of 2025, made Pirates fans feel bad on Sunday when he gave up five earned runs in one-third of an inning. Sanders threw 31 pitches, one more than Moreta. It’s just one of many puzzling decisions by the Pirates’ brain trust in recent days.

The Pirates had high hopes for Moreta when they acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds for shortstop Kevin Newman after the 2022 season. Moreta pitched well in 2023, with a 3.72 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 1.086 WHIP, and 31.8 percent strikeout rate. He held opposing batters to a mere .187/.276/.330 slash. Moreta missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. After finally working his way back to the majors, he’ll ply his trade at Indy and wait for another call.

The Last Word

It’s not your father’s baseball anymore. The constant bullpen shuttle between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis is a permanent reality, not to mention, on a selfish note, that it provides material for writers covering the team. Any time the bullpen has to cover a few innings, one can bet that a roster move is forthcoming. Thus, pitchers with options such as Moreta and Sanders have become more valuable than ever, despite not being compensated accordingly. Now it’s Shugart who’s turn it is to silence opposing bats for the Pirates. He’d be advised not to sign a long-term lease. He, too, has minor league options remaining.