Red Sox’s Chase Shugart Reflects On ‘Dream Come True’ MLB Debut Vs. Orioles

The Boston Red Sox endured another sour loss, this time to the Baltimore Orioles to kick off a crucial four-game series on Thursday night, which marked the welcome of right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart to the big leagues.

Shugart stepped foot on an MLB mound for the first time in the fifth inning at Camden Yards, and logged an impressive debut performance. The 27-year-old, who had gone 4-2 with a 4.98 ERA in 28 appearances made in Triple-A Worcester, recorded his first career strikeout while facing Baltimore's Jackson Holiday. From there, Shugart proceeded to toss 2 2/3 innings allowing just one run to a lethal Orioles lineup -- a once-in-a-lifetime experience the right-hander won't forget anytime soon.

"Getting in the game tonight, that was like a dream come true," Shugart told reporters after Boston's 5-1 loss, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "Just can't help but think about the people that got me here and all the work I put in to get here, and it's a good feeling. I had seven family members here. ... I can only imagine what they were saying. I had both of my grandmas, my grandpa, my uncle, girlfriend and my girlfriend's mom. I had like 20 people in Boston but they all had to go back to work."

Reliable relief pitching stands tall at the forefront of Boston's biggest needs. Despite taking a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning during the team's series finale at Fenway Park against the Texas Rangers, the Red Sox's bullpen coughed up five runs in two innings to end the six-game homestand on a dissapointing note. If Shugart can find his footing soon and perform up to standard consistently, Boston will have all the reasons to keep him in a big league uniform -- at least for the remainder of the 2024 season.

"(It went) great," Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "He pounded the strike zone with good stuff, wasn't afraid. I don't know how many strikes he threw or the percentages but like we talked afterward, 'Nobody can take that away from him.' He's a big leaguer. Whatever happens in the future, it happens but this day is gonna be remembered."