Shane Smith shaky in first outing since being anointed White Sox' Opening Day starter
MESA, Ariz. — It has been like peeling an onion this week to hear about right-hander Shane Smith’s long road from high school in Massachusetts to college at Wake Forest to Milwaukee to the White Sox and his pending Opening Day start March 26 against the Brewers.
He had surgery on his right shoulder his freshman year in college and Tommy John surgery his junior year, he said Tuesday after a shaky start against the Athletics at HoHoKam Stadium. The Brewers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2021 after the second surgery. The Sox picked him up via the Rule 5 draft in late 2024.
“It had been a long journey from being 18 to 25,” he said. “And being able to somewhat live with a day like [Tuesday].”
How did he deal with it mentally?
“A lot of reflection,” Smith said. “Being grateful for having the opportunity to be healthy again and hopefully step back out on the mound.”
Tuesday wasn’t exactly what you want the first time on the mound after being awarded the first Opening Day start of your career. The Athletics pounded Smith for five runs, five hits, two homers and four walks in a bifurcated 3‰ innings. He threw 70 pitches and fanned two.
Brent Rooker homered and doubled. Nick Kurtz also homered. The big A’s bats did him in.
“It’s really hard to be successful in the majors with [four] walks,” Smith said. “Getting ahead with two strikes and giving up homers —obviously that’s not what you want, but that happens if you’re in the zone. If you’re not in the zone, it’s two walks and then a three-run homer. We’ll just keep going, keep marching forward.”
Smith has two spring outings left, and then it’s on to Milwaukee. He said there’s plenty of time to still work on some things.
“It’s always good to be nice and healthy,” he said. “I feel good physically. All that other stuff is easier to come by. If you feel like crap and you’re working on some stuff, none of that is going to be productive.”
Athletics 11, Sox 7
As spring training begins to wind down, cuts are a daily occurrence, and the Sox shed two more players, sending right-hander Ben Peoples and left-hander Tyler Schweitzer to minor-league camp. That leaves them with 50 players: 24 pitchers, five catchers, 10 infielders and 11 outfielders. “[Peoples has] to be more aggressive in the zone,” Sox manager Will Venable said. “But [he has] really good stuff. Really like the demeanor.” About Schweitzer, Venable said: “He’s a little bit [of a] different personality. Very excited to be on the mound pitching. Really competitive.”
• Miguel Vargas went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and raised his spring average to .344.
• Right fielder Derek Hill reached well above the fence to rob Jeff McNeil of a home run to end the fourth inning.
• On deck: Angels at Sox, 3:05 p.m. Wednesday, Glendale, Alex Manoah vs. Anthony Kay.