Gamethread: Twins at White Sox

Rule 5 Draft pick Shane Smith takes the mound for his MLB debut in hopes of shutting Minnesota down once again

After a 9-0 blowout win yesterday, the White Sox (2-2) will try to replicate that performance as they face the Minnesota Twins in the second game of the series.

For the first four games of the season, the starting pitching has been the biggest story for the White Sox. All four starters — Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin, and Martín Pérez — had impressive performances in that they did not give up a single run, which has only been done four times ever, and not since the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019. And to cap it off on Monday, Pérez dominated through six no-hit innings and tied his career high of nine strikeouts.

Picked up in the Rule 5 Draft from the Milwaukee Brewers, 24-year-old righthander Shane Smith will make his MLB debut on the South Side this evening. Naturally, he will also absorb the added pressure of wanting to keep the 0.00 ERA streak alive. Smith shined in Spring Training, posting a 3.38 ERA in four starts (10 2⁄3 innings) alongside a 0.844 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and four walks. Batters were also only hitting only .143 against him, and he gave up four runs off five hits. Smith’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and can reach 97-98 mph, and it’s also probably his best pitch, though he still has some solid off-speed pitches with his curveball and slider.

Sure, it might be a small sample size thus far, but he’s certainly on the right track and has shown that he has what it takes to compete in the big leagues. Welcome to the show, Shane!

Ideally, the Good Guys can keep the bats hot and provide Smith with the run support he needs. Andrew Benintendi has been the top hitter thus far, mashing two home runs and six RBIs in his first 13 at-bats. While he is tied with Miguel Vargas and Luis Robert Jr. with the highest BA (only .231), his 1.025 OPS tells a much better story.

Simeon Woods Richardson will make his first start of 2025 for the Twins, who spent his first full year in the majors last season. In 133 2⁄3 innings in 2024, Richardson posted a 4.17 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP — striking out 117 batters at a 2.44 K/BB ratio.

On the other side of the ball, Minnesota has struggled as a team to begin the season. They currently rank last among all 30 MLB teams and have slashed just .143/.206/.230 with the lowest OPS (.436). Twins slugger Byron Buxton is just 1-for-13 (.077 BA), and shortstop Carlos Correa has yet to get a hit in 2025. Willi Castro has been the bright spot for the Twins, however, slashing .357/.400/.786 to start the season (14 ABs), and has accumulated a 1.186 OPS.

It’s set to be a cold one in Chicago, with the temperature forecasted to be about 42° at first pitch, and thankfully, it should be mostly dry!

If your antenna is working, you can catch the action at 6:40 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), or perhaps MLB TV if you are in a different state and not blacked out. And as always, Len Kasper and Darrin Jackson will be on the radio broadcast at ESPN Chicago AM 1000.