Latest news with #ShaneSmith
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
White Sox All-Star Shane Smith Enjoying ‘Pretty Wild' Rookie Season
Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith signs autographs before the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run ... More Derby, Monday, July 14, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Shane Smith says it is 'pretty wild' what has happened to his baseball career over the last eight months. The right-hander was left unprotected by the Milwaukee Brewers for the Rule 5 Draft at the MLB Winter Meetings in December. The Chicago White Sox drafted Smith, paying the $100,000 draft fee on a pitcher only known by a handful of fans. Rule 5 picks must spend the entire season on the drafting team's roster or else be offered back to their previous organization for $50,000. Rarely do Rule 5 players make an immediate impact in the major leagues, and many fail to stick in the big leagues. Shane Smith Makes All-Star Game History Smith, though, made history this past Tuesday night. He became the first pitcher to ever appear in an All-Star Game in his first season after being a Rule 5 selection. Pitching for the American League, Smith retired one of the two batters he faced in a game that the National League eventually won in a swing-off at Truist Park in Atlanta. Smith admits he was a little nervous, not just because it was his first All-Star Game. It was also his first relief appearance of the year after making 18 starts in the first half of the season, going 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA. 'There's definitely a different buzz to it, especially coming out of the bullpen,' Smith said. 'It's kind of like a quick phone call, you get some butterflies, and it's like, you've got to warm up fast because you're going to be in the game here in about eight or 10 minutes. You don't have days' notice, like you do when you're making a start, so there are definitely more butterflies for that one than for a regular one. My heart was pumping.' Smith became just the second player to appear in an All-Star Game in his first season following the Rule 5 Draft after Miami Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla in 2008. That bit of history was not lost on Smith while soaking in the All-Star festivities, including getting a chance to have long talks with AL Central rivals Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals' Kris Bubic, and the Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan. Shane Smith Went Undrafted It was heady stuff for a pitcher who went undrafted in 2021 after Tommy John elbow surgery ended his college career at Wake Forest. That he made it to the All-Star Game after the White Sox took a chance on him made Smith especially proud to represent the organization. 'I think it just shows when you get into pro ball, you think the team that you (signed) with is the team you're going to debut with when you get to the major leagues, but, for me, it wasn't the case,' Smith said. 'I think anybody who's in a similar position to me or what I was in, if you keep working and keep making sure you're doing the right things, then good things can happen, whether it's an All-Star Game or whatever. You still can get an opportunity, and the White Sox gave me that. ATLANTA, GA - JULY 15: Shane Smith #64 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the 95th MLB ... More All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Truist Park on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) 'I'm just really, really focusing on making sure to do everything the right way, whether it's in the games or throwing bullpens between starts, training. I'm just trying to make sure I take my best foot forward.' Extra Rest for Shane Smith There has been concern that Smith is fatigued after pitching 86 2/3 innings so far this season after working 94 1/3 innings last year in the minor leagues. The 25-year-old is 0-4 with an 11.29 ERA in his previous five starts after going 3-3 with a 2.37 ERA in his first 13 starts. Smith will get some built-in rest as he was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with a sprained left ankle. He was hurt Thursday during an off-day workout at Pittsburgh's PNC Park in advance of a three-game series between the White Sox and Pirates. The White Sox were conservative with left-hander Garrett Crochet in the second half of last season when he never pitched more than four innings in any start. Crochet was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason and pitched for the AL in the All-Star Game. 'We're going to take it one rotation cycle at a time as far as what it means for (the starting pitchers') usage as far as what it means for our best chances to win a game, what it means for their long-term health,' White Sox manager Will Venable said. 'We're just constantly evaluating those things. Everything is on the table when it comes to a potential solution.' Regardless of how much Smith pitches the rest of the season, the White Sox have already received value from him. 'It kind of tells you how special Shane is, with his ability to come in here and get comfortable and perform like he has is incredible and says a lot about him as the person and the individual, and it says a lot about our organization,' Venable said of Shane Smith. 'It's a great story.'
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
White Sox go for elusive series sweep in Pittsburgh
July 20 - The Chicago White Sox are the only team in the majors yet to sweep a series this season. They'll try to change that on Sunday afternoon when they take on the host Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale of a three-game series. In an otherwise difficult season in terms of wins and losses, the White Sox have opened the second half strong, scoring 10 runs in each of their first two victories over Pittsburgh. But Chicago was hit with a setback on the injury front this week as All-Star right-handed rookie starting pitcher Shane Smith landed on the 15-day injured list with a left ankle sprain retroactive to Wednesday. "Rolled his ankle running. It's his lead leg, his plant leg, which for him is his left leg," White Sox manager Will Venable said on Saturday. "It puts him in a tough spot to be able to make his start. But, hopefully, it's the short version here." This development puts the onus on recently acquired starters such as right-hander Aaron Civale (1-6, 5.30 ERA) to keep Chicago's rotation strong as the team strives positive results amid an ongoing rebuild. Civale, who was traded from Milwaukee on June 13, will attempt to pick up his first victory in a White Sox uniform when he opposes Pirates lefty Andrew Heaney (4-8, 4.59) on Sunday. Civale is 0-4 with a 5.58 ERA in six starts since joining Chicago. He gave up four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three over 5 2/3 innings in his most recent outing at home against Cleveland on July 13. Civale is 2-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 39 2/3 innings over seven career starts against the Pirates. The White Sox recalled reliever Wikelman Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday. They also activated infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin, who appeared in Saturday's game, from the IL and optioned Will Robertson to Charlotte. Heaney will try to reverse his and his team's recent results when he takes the mound for the first time since July 12 at Minnesota, when he appeared out of the bullpen in what turned out to be a 12-4 loss. Heaney gave up three runs -- all on home runs -- over two innings and finished with one walk and no strikeouts. Heaney's most recent start was his shortest of the season as he lasted only three innings and gave up four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two in taking a 9-3 loss at Kansas City on July 7. Heaney is 5-1 with a 4.31 ERA in 56 1/3 innings over 10 career starts against the White Sox, however, and will try to snap a two-game skid for the Pirates, who are in the midst of one of their worst stretches of the season with 10 losses in their past 11 games. The first two losses against Chicago marked the first time this season that Pittsburgh lost back-to-back games while allowing 10 runs. "It's hard, and it's something we haven't dealt with. The pitching has been so good," Pirates manager Don Kelly said. "It's tough whenever you lose a game that you're ahead and you have to turn it over to the bullpen who has been so reliable all year. They're going to continue to be reliable. Those guys in the back end have done a great job, and I have full confidence in them to do that." --Field Level Media
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
White Sox place All-Star rookie right-hander Shane Smith on IL with sprained ankle
PITTSBURGH (AP) — White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on Saturday, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago's lone representative. The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith faced two batters in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, hitting one and retiring the next on a fielder's choice. His move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
White Sox place All-Star rookie right-hander Shane Smith on IL with sprained ankle
PITTSBURGH (AP) — White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on Saturday, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago's lone representative. The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith faced two batters in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, hitting one and retiring the next on a fielder's choice. His move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday. Smith pitched three innings in a loss to Cleveland on July 11, an abbreviated start that manager Will Venable said was planned. The 25-year-old Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts. Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December, and he became the second player to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after being taken in that draft. The White Sox recalled right-hander Wikelman González from Triple-A Charlotte to take Smith's roster spot. Also Saturday, Chicago reinstated infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin from the 10-day IL and optioned outfielder Will Robertson to Charlotte. ___ AP MLB:
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
White Sox place All-Star rookie right-hander Shane Smith on IL with sprained ankle
PITTSBURGH — White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on Saturday, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago's lone representative. The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith faced two batters in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, hitting one and retiring the next on a fielder's choice. His move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday. Smith pitched three innings in a loss to Cleveland on July 11, an abbreviated start that manager Will Venable said was planned. The 25-year-old Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts. Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December, and he became the second player to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after being taken in that draft. The White Sox recalled right-hander Wikelman González from Triple-A Charlotte to take Smith's roster spot. Also Saturday, Chicago reinstated infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin from the 10-day IL and optioned outfielder Will Robertson to Charlotte.
