Shane Smith has faced little adversity in the early stages of his career as a starting pitcher. 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.
But that early dominance was tested at Wrigley Field. After taking the mound in the second inning with a 2-0 lead against the Cubs, Smith returned to the dugout following a six-run frame, with just one of those runs earned.
The trouble began when Smith gave up a leadoff single to Michael Busch, followed by a Carson Kelly double that put runners on second and third with no outs. The 25-year-old responded with poise, striking out Dansby Swanson on three straight pitches.
But just as it looked like Smith might escape the jam, the White Sox defense unraveled.
Moises Ballesteros hit a soft chopper to first. Andrew Vaughn had the option to take the sure out at the bag, potentially limiting the damage, but with his momentum carrying him forward, he opted to throw home. The decision backfired as Busch slid around Matt Thaiss’ tag to put the Cubs on the board.
First career RBI for Moisés Ballesteros! pic.twitter.com/BYKZu9ry3O
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 16, 2025
Two pitches later, Nico Hoerner hit a routine grounder to short. Chase Meidroth’s throw home beat Kelly easily, but Thaiss dropped the ball at the plate, allowing the tying run to score.
The errors proved costly as Pete Crow Armstrong extended the Cubs’ lead with a three-run homer, followed by an RBI Seiya Suzuki double.
It would have been easy for Smith to be discouraged in this situation. But the right-hander returned to the mound and proceeded to fire three scoreless innings.
By the end of the day, he had thrown five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits — but only one was earned. He struck out five, walked one, and lowered his ERA to 2.05 on the season.
The game was an encapsulation of Smith’s season. Despite his 2.05 ERA in nine starts, he only has one win to his name, with the White Sox offense producing just 18 runs during that stretch.
However, playing in front of a packed Wrigley Field crowd was a good learning experience for the Rule 5 pick. “I look forward to doing it again,” Smith told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “It’s my first time in a lot of stadiums, so it’s tough to tell, but I like playing in Chicago either way.”
