Unsung offseason addition could be Phillies’ surprise bullpen weapon of 2026

The Philadelphia Phillies have provided fans with a lukewarm offseason at best. There's no denying, however, that even after dealing All-Star lefty Matt Strahm, the bullpen is absolutely better than what Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had at the end of the 2025 season.

Looking ahead to a full year of closer Jhoan Duran's entrance engulfing Citizens Bank Park, the bullpen this year feels as strong as it could be in a franchise-defining season, along with all the offseason relief acquisitions the Phillies have made. The addition of Brad Keller in free agency and Jonathan Bowlan in return for Strahm has fortified the arm barn.

One of the most under-the-radar acquisitions that fans should note is right-hander Chase Shugart, whom the Phillies acquired earlier this offseason from the Pittsburgh Pirates and who should be able to help the bullpen this year.

Chase Shugart no stranger to high-leverage situations as he tries to carve out role in Phillies bullpen

After being selected in the 12th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Shugart spent seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox minor league system, which is known for its successful pitching lab (subscription required). After entering the system as a fringe starting pitcher, he transitioned to a relief role going into the 2022 season.

However, Shugart's success truly started to come in 2024 when he was named the Red Sox's Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year with a 4.46 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings. He also made his MLB debut for the Red Sox on Aug. 12 that year.

To make room for some much-needed catching depth in Boston, Shugart was designated for assignment in January 2025 and traded to the Pirates. He remained dominant in a rather bland NL Central, appearing in 35 games with a 4-3 record, a 3.40 ERA, and 31 strikeouts over 45 innings.

But it was in Boston where Shugart found his identity on the mound and fully developed his five-pitch mix. His fastball is his most notable pitch, sitting around 95 mph with 14.9 inches of induced vertical break (IVB). It's a fine four-seamer, but it's part of the reason his longevity as a starter couldn't work.

Outside of that, he features a slider, a cutter, a changeup, and a sinker, usually relying on his breaking pitches to fool batters. His four-seamer finishes off his arsenal, especially when it reaches its peak.

The pitch he throws most often is his 81 mph sweeper, 29 percent of the time, with a slick 17-inch horizontal break. The only other pitch he relies on nearly as much, for both righties and lefties, is his 90 mph cutter, which he tosses around 25 percent of the time with a 6.4 IVB and a four-inch horizontal break.

These breaking pitches are what have made Shugart so successful. The versatility between his breaking pitches and his four-seamer, with the occasional changeup, provides him with the tools, and then some, to confuse and conflict batters at the plate. He projects as someone who can possibly serve as a high-leverage middle reliever.

While it's not definite that he will make the Phillies Opening Day roster out of spring training, it will be refreshing to see him pitch in red pinstripes. While the Pirates did not nessecarialy have many high-leverage situations in the long run last season, when the game was on the line, Shugart was one of their guys. Now he will set out to do the same with the Phillies.