Red Sox May Already Regret Overlooked Offseason Trade With Pirates

The Boston Red Sox made a lot of trades this offseason, so it's easy to forget that some ever happened.

For example, did you know the Red Sox made two separate trades with the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason? And while neither featured young stars Jared Jones or Wilyer Abreu, one is having much more of an impact than the Red Sox anticipated.

On Jan. 17, the Red Sox traded right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart to Pittsburgh in exchange for minor-league righty Matt McShane. And while McShane is off to a great start in High-A Greenville, Shugart has had the much more visible success.

Through 14 2/3 innings with the Pirates, Shugart owns a 1.23 ERA--two earned runs on just seven hits, while striking out 11. For a 28-year-old minor league journeyman who was designated for assignment when the Red Sox started bringing in bigger names, that's a heck of a stat line.

On Monday, FanSided's Baron Dionis called the Shugart trade "an absolute steal" for Pittsburgh, hinting that the Red Sox already had reason to regret the deal amid their own bullpen struggles.

"Ever since getting called up, Chase Shugart has been a pleasant surprise to the team, pitching well out of various situations. Shugart was acquired this offseason from the Red Sox after being designated for assignment," Dionis wrote.

"(His) numbers really (weren't) bad, so it was surprising to see the Red Sox DFA him. Luckily, the Pirates pounced on the opportunity, and his numbers in 2025 have been just what they needed."

Shugart's advanced metrics (fastball run value, average exit velocity, expected batting average) mostly support the case that he's been fantastic over a small sample. That doesn't mean he's guaranteed to keep excelling, but it shows that he's come a long way in a short time.

Also, for the record, McShane, a 22-year-old former 13th-round pick, has enjoyed a 0.53 ERA in 17 innings out of the bullpen in High-A, striking out 22.

While plenty in the Red Sox organization have to feel overjoyed for Shugart's success, there will definitely be a twinge of regret if Boston's bullpen continues to struggle throughout the year.