This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CHICAGO -- Shane Smith wants to be the pitcher, not a pitcher, when it comes to his work within the White Sox rotation.
It’s a lofty goal for the 25-year-old rookie and top pick in the previous Rule 5 Draft, but he already has 12 outstanding starts on his resume to support that thought process. The right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of those 12 outings, entering his trip to the mound for Tuesday’s opener in Houston with a 2.45 ERA, as well as a chance to be selected as the White Sox All-Star representative for the 2025 edition in Atlanta.
Smith is a thoughtful quote who puts meaning behind his statements. But he was briefly at a loss for words when asked about the All-Star possibility.
“That would be … ,” Smith said during a Thursday conversation, continuing after a brief pause to consider the importance of the honor. “It would mean so many different things to me. It would be really special.”
All-Star voting is underway, and of course pitchers are not on the All-Star ballot. The White Sox have other worthy candidates such as shortstop Chase Meidroth, right-handed reliever Mike Vasil and even third baseman/first baseman Miguel Vargas, who followed up a rough start with a torrid stretch over the last five weeks.
But the White Sox also sit at 22 games under .500, which often means one representative at the Midsummer Classic. Smith has the best case across the entire first half to date, with his work being deserving aside from being the South Siders’ most prominent performer.
“He’s been not just one of the best rookie pitchers in baseball, but one of the best pitchers in baseball this year,” said right-hander Sean Burke. “I don’t think there’s anybody else more deserving than him for that spot.”
“If you just try to put your best foot forward each and every time you get the ball, good things can happen,” Smith said. “Being in that conversation is something I’m grateful for, but I won’t really believe it until I get any type of news. It’s not something that’s on my radar, but to be in that conversation in a group with the best in the league is incredible.”
Through 62 1/3 innings, Smith has struck out 60 batters and walked 25, yielding just 46 hits (only four home runs).
His changeup was developed in the offseason and drew notice as soon as he arrived at Spring Training. During his last start against Detroit, the best team in baseball record-wise, his fastball velocity ticked up a bit early on and he made more effective usage of his curve.
In the previous start against the Mets, Smith walked a career-high five over 3 2/3 innings. So, he was determined to attack the strike zone more forcefully when facing the Tigers. Those adjustments are all part of Smith’s quest to be the best and not just another guy doing his job.
“I don’t want to just be talked about as being good,” Smith said. “I want to be in those conversations as a legitimate option or thought of in that way. So, just trying to be my personal best and live up to my personal potential is what I’m trying to do.
“If you are just here to be like, ‘I want to do my thing and kind of just coast,’ it’s not what I think about personally. I want to do everything I possibly can to be the best I possibly can be. Whatever that looks like to the outside world and the league is outside of my control. If I can be my personal best, that’s all I’m really trying to do.”
Regardless of the All-Star selection, Smith is more comfortable as a pitcher, as a Major Leaguer, than he was back in Spring Training.
“Spring was a weird time where I was throwing the ball well, but you can never be too sure about what a team is thinking or an organization is thinking,” Smith said. “Now I’m just letting the on-field product do the talking or convincing for me.
“Definitely feel more comfortable, especially with the guys and 12 starts in. It feels much more comfortable preparing for a start, being in the game … [when you] got guys on, you are just more comfortable in those situations. I’m happy, not satisfied. But happy, yeah, definitely.”