'I consider this year a win for me'; Chase Shugart 'grateful' for 40-man roster add
While there still might be another month of baseball to be played over the month of September, Red Sox pitcher Chase Shugart is already considering his 2024 season a success.
Shugart was called up to the WooSox in 2022 and had pitched in Worcester for parts of three seasons until his MLB call-up on August 12th.
“It was a dream come true,” Shugart said of his MLB call. “Being able to sit in the bullpen at Fenway and take it all in and get in the game in Baltimore in Camden Yards was a once in a lifetime experience. Not many get to do that, so I am grateful for that opportunity and very happy that my family was there for it.”
After being called up on August 12th, the 27-year-old had to wait a few days to get in a game and it may have let the nerves build up even more for the moment.
“The first couple of days were just an anxiety build up,” Shugart said. “I had no idea if I was pitching each day or not. It was the 10th inning on that Wednesday, and I had gotten up to start warming up for the 11th inning but we didn’t tie it so I didn’t get to pitch that day. Just being able to get in that routine to get hot quick and take the same prep I have here to up there.”
Being a member of the 40-man roster means you have the chance to be the next man up in Boston if injuries or DFA’s arise on the team. We see that happening throughout the year more with guys in the bullpen, so it’s important for guys like Shugart to be ready for any scenario.
“The work stays the same while down here,” Shugart said. “I still have to execute the pitches while I am here in Worcester or up there. I am trying to attack the strike zone and cut down the walks. I want to be a strike throwing pitcher that can go right at them every time out.”
So why does Shugart call this season a success before it has finished?
“This is the position I wanted to put myself in and I got there,” Shugart noted. “The end goal before the season was to be a 40-man roster guy and make my MLB debut. I wanted to be a guy who could stick or a guy that they would need from time to time. I already consider this year as a win for me. No matter if I get called up again this year or not, I feel like I proved myself to be a reliable option to go up and help them out.”
The MLB debut is no doubt a stressful and anxiety filled situation for any player that has the chance to get up there. It is a topic of discussion that Shugart has had with his former minor league roommate Nick Sogard over the last few years since they got up to Worcester.
“This has been a conversation that me and Nick Sogard have had together since 2022 when we got called up here to Worcester at the same time,” Shugart said of the call up to the majors. “A lot of talks we have had about this over the years. That day he finally got that call up was awesome and to be able to get the call a couple of weeks later to join him was special. To be able to see David Hamilton and Kutter Crawford was awesome. I live with Kutter during Spring Training and spend a lot of the offseason with him so there are a lot of my friends up here. Being able to take that in with them made me very comfortable when I got up there.”
