Smith’s All-Star Moment Highlights White Sox Rookie Success Story

Shane Smith walked off the mound on July 11 in front of a sparse crowd of fewer than 13,000 at Rate Field. It was the first game of a doubleheader, and Smith was pulled after three innings against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out five.

Just four days later, he found himself pitching on a much bigger stage, under the lights at Truist Park, in front of more than 42,000 fans at the Midsummer Classic.

Smith entered the game for the AL All-Stars in the eighth inning on Tuesday, but was given just ten pitches before getting lifted from the game. Some of his command issues came to fruition, as he hit Eugenio Suárez in the hand with a pitch, before getting Nationals left fielder James Wood to ground into a forceout. He would leave the game with a clean line of no runs, walks, or hits allowed in the limited sample size. 

Under the current format, Smith became just the second player in MLB history to appear in the All-Star Game the year after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, joining Dan Uggla in 2006.  

In the process, Smith continued one of the best storylines in baseball this season. Entering the year had yet to throw a big league inning after spending last season with Double-A Biloxi, the Brewers' minor league affiliate. The White Sox decided to take a flier on him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. 

Days before turning 25 on April 4th, Smith learned that he would be joining the White Sox starting rotation. Three months later, he found out that he would be the team’s lone representative at the All-Star game. 

While his 4.26 ERA may not reflect it, the All-Star nod was a deserving honor for Smith. Through his first eight major league starts, he is one of just three pitchers in MLB history to throw at least four innings in each outing while allowing no more than three runs and eight total bases.

Smith made his MLB debut on April 1, tossing 5 2/3 innings against the Twins while allowing two runs on two hits and four walks, with three strikeouts. In his second outing on April 8 in Cleveland, he carried a no-hitter into the sixth and finished with six scoreless innings. His first win came in his fifth start on April 24, when he shut out the Twins over five innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out seven.

The Massachusetts native leads the White Sox with 81 strikeouts on the season and games started, while limiting opponents to a .232 batting average. A big part of Smith’s success has come from the addition of a changeup, which he now throws about 20% of the time. Opponents are hitting just .159 against it and whiffing nearly 32% of the time.

On May 16, his ERA sat at 2.05 before posting a 7.28 ERA in his last seven starts. 

Smith has struggled to work deep into games, completing six innings in just four of his 15 starts. While the right-hander has been dominant for much of the season, he’s shown signs of fatigue as outings wear on. His average fastball velocity holds steady around 92 mph through the first three innings but tends to dip after the fourth.

However, it’s important to view those numbers in context. Smith has logged 86.2 innings so far this season — already approaching the career-high 94.2 innings he threw in the Brewers’ farm system last year.

Smith spent his All-Star weekend soaking in every moment. Before the game, he was seen waving to his family in the stands. While some players changed into street clothes and left the ballpark early, Smith remained on the field, cheering on his American League teammates during MLB’s first-ever swing-off.

Smith now returns to Chicago, where the White Sox will closely monitor his innings for the rest of the season. But going from a Rule 5 pick fighting for a roster spot to earning an All-Star nod is a remarkable rise—one both Smith and the White Sox can take pride in.