Eugenio Suarez OK After Being Hit By Pitch From Chicago White Sox Rookie Shane Smith

While it was a day Smith will never forget, the game itself was somewhat uneventful the White Sox pitcher. He entered in the eighth inning with the American League All-Stars trailing 6-4. On a 2-1 count in the first at-bat, his 96 mph fastball clipped Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Eugenio Suarez's hand.

After being checked out by trainers, Suarez stayed in the game and even made a slick play at third base in the top of the ninth. After the game, X-Rays were negative on Suarez’s left pinkie, but he asked off HR Derby out of precaution, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Coincidentally, it marked the second time Smith had hit Suarez this season, along with an inside fastball that also hit Suarez's hand on June 23 in Chicago. Suarez has been mentioned as one of the top hitters potentially available at the trade deadline after hitting 31 home runs before the All-Star break. So buyers could breath a sigh of relief, as he appears to have avoided a significant injury.

In the next at-bat, Smith's 97 mph fastball induced a ground ball from Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood, who reached first base on a fielder's choice as Suarez was retired at second. That would be it for Smith after 10 pitches, as honorary coach Joe Torre –– a Hall of Fame and four-time World Series champion manager with the Yankees in the 1990s –– replaced him with Seattle Mariners reliever Andres Muñoz with one out in the eighth.

The American League All-Stars went on to tie the game in the top of the ninth, thanks to an RBI double from Bobby Witt Jr. and Steven Kwan bringing home the tying run on an infield single. Instead of extra-innings, the All-Star game was decided by a swing-off, and Kyle Schwarber proved to be the hero in the National League's victory.

Moving forward, Smith won't pitch in the White Sox first series after the All-Star break. The probable pitchers for that series are Jonathan Cannon on Friday, Adrian Houser on Saturday and Aaron Civale on Sunday. That likely sets up Smith's first post-All-Star break outing at some point during the Tampa Bay Rays series from July 21-23.

Fellow All-Stars took note of Smith being the second player in MLB history to make the All-Star game in the first year after his Rule 5 Draft selection, along with Dan Uggla in 2006.

The rookie right-hander's season got off to a tremendous start, as he posted a 2.37 ERA across his first 13 outings. But he's hit a rough patch over the last month, allowing 23 earned runs in five starts since June 17.

With his career-high mark in innings quickly approaching, the White Sox intentionally limited Smith to three innings in his last start on Friday and could continue to manage his workload throughout the second half with his long-term health in mind. Smith said he's learned to take the good with the bad during his rookie season, as he summed up his first half.

“I think an All-Star Game with that is a really good way to put it,” Smith said. “But a lot of growth as a pitcher and as a person. Being in the big leagues for the first time is a lot to take in. Took it in stride for a lot of it. Maybe it caught up to me for the last month, but that’s baseball and that’s life. Really looking forward to putting a strong second half together.”