White Sox Option Opening Day Starter to Minors After Control Woes

Shane Smith's struggles with walks and short outings force the team to send him down to work on his command.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:37pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in navy, green, and orange hues depicting the various angles and planes of a baseball pitcher's delivery, conveying the complex mechanics and control challenges facing the subject.A deconstructed, cubist interpretation of a struggling pitcher's mechanics highlights the control issues plaguing the White Sox's starting rotation.Chicago Today

The Chicago White Sox have optioned their Opening Day starting pitcher Shane Smith to Triple-A Charlotte after another short, erratic outing in which he struggled with his control. Smith, a 26-year-old right-hander, has walked nine batters in just 8.1 innings across his first three starts, forcing the White Sox bullpen to cover 17 innings in that span. The team hopes sending Smith to the minors will allow him to work on his command issues in a less pressurized environment.

Why it matters

The White Sox were counting on Smith to anchor their starting rotation this season, but his inability to pitch deep into games and high walk rate have put a strain on the bullpen early on. The team's starting pitching depth is already a concern, so getting Smith back on track is crucial for their playoff hopes.

The details

In his most recent start against the Baltimore Orioles, Smith struck out 8 batters but walked 5 and lasted just 3.2 innings. After the game, he acknowledged that his lack of control was 'killing our bullpen' and not putting the team 'in a good position to win.' The White Sox have now optioned Smith to Triple-A Charlotte and selected the contract of left-hander Tyler Schweitzer to take his place on the major league roster.

  • On Tuesday, April 8, 2026, Smith made his third start of the season, going 3.2 innings with 1 hit, 0 runs, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts.
  • On Wednesday, April 9, 2026, the White Sox optioned Smith to Triple-A Charlotte and called up Tyler Schweitzer.

The players

Shane Smith

A 26-year-old right-handed starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who was named their Opening Day starter but has struggled with control issues in his first three outings.

Tyler Schweitzer

A left-handed pitcher whose contract was selected by the White Sox to take Smith's place on the major league roster.

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What they’re saying

“Not really putting our team in a good position to win. Just killing our bullpen. As we get into the season and the games start stacking up, we need these guys to be as fresh as possible.”

— Shane Smith, White Sox Pitcher

What’s next

The White Sox hope that by sending Smith to the minors, he will be able to work on his command issues and regain the form that earned him the Opening Day starting job. The team will monitor his progress in Triple-A with the goal of getting him back to the majors as soon as possible.

The takeaway

This move highlights the importance of starting pitching depth for contending teams. The White Sox were counting on Smith to be a reliable arm at the top of their rotation, but his early struggles have forced them to make a difficult decision to send him down in order to protect their bullpen. Developing young pitchers with control issues remains an ongoing challenge for many MLB teams.