The Boston Red Sox have added righty reliever Chase Shugart to their roster as one of their September call-ups. Shugart, who is making his second MLB stint, impressed with a dominant performance in Triple-A Worcester after being optioned back. He pitched 5 ⅔ scoreless innings over four outings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six. Shugart credited his success to better command of the strike zone and trusting his pitches. His confidence was boosted by his first major league appearance earlier in August, where he allowed one run and three hits in 2 ⅔ innings.
After struggling with an 8.22 ERA in Worcester in 2023, Shugart made changes to his repertoire to improve his performance. He added a sweeper pitch in the offseason, which has become a key part of his arsenal along with his sinker. Shugart identified his cutter as his best strike-throwing secondary pitch and his sweeper as his best swing-and-miss secondary pitch. While he continues to work on developing his changeup, he believes in the progress he has made so far. Shugart expressed his disappointment with his previous performances and is determined to show that he is capable of more than what he had shown. The Red Sox are looking forward to seeing his improved pitching abilities in the majors and have confidence in his abilities to contribute to their bullpen.
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