White Sox’s biggest flop to begin 2026 MLB season

To understand just how staggering Smith’s fall from grace has been, you have to revisit what he accomplished in 2025. Chicago picked Smith with the first overall pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He made history by becoming only the second player ever, after Dan Uggla in 2006, to be named an All-Star in the season after being picked in the Rule 5 Draft. He ended that breakout season with a 7-8 record and a great 3.81 ERA over 146⅓ innings in 29 starts, striking out 145 batters and giving a weak White Sox rotation some real credibility.

The expectations heading into 2026 were rightfully elevated. Not only did the White Sox tab Smith as their Opening Day starter, but manager Will Venable and GM Chris Getz spoke openly about Smith anchoring the staff for years to come. That narrative evaporated in brutal fashion. In three starts, Smith has been tagged for 10 earned runs in just 8⅓ innings, a WHIP of 2.52, while issuing nine walks and struggling to get through the fourth inning in any of his outings. The White Sox optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte on April 8, just 13 days into the regular season.

The Command Crisis That’s Defining His 2026

The numbers are bad, but the way they are behind them makes it even harder to watch Smith’s struggles. The main problem is very simple: he has lost all control of his four-seam fastball. In 2025, Smith had a first-pitch strike rate of 60.4%, which meant that he could work ahead in counts and use all of his pitches with confidence. That rate dropped to just 51% in 2026, and opposing hitters have noticed. They are chasing less and squaring up more.

On Opening Day in Milwaukee, Smith’s outing was overshadowed by a team-wide disaster, a 14-2 blowout loss in which White Sox pitchers collectively issued 10 walks in eight innings. But Smith’s individual issues only deepened from there. In Miami, he lasted just three innings against the Marlins, surrendering eight runs, including a self-inflicted implosion after throwing a wild ball on a comebacker that should have been an inning-ending double play, opening the floodgates for a four-run rally.

Later in the series, Sandy Alcantara threw the first Maddux of the 2026 MLB season against the same White Sox. He only needed 93 pitches to win 10-0, which was a huge, embarrassing difference. Smith threw 99 pitches in his third and final start before being sent down. He pitched 3⅔ scoreless innings against Baltimore, walking five batters, before the White Sox bullpen gave up the lead.

A Starting Lineup That Can’t Buy a Hit

Shane Smith’s meltdown on the mound has been the most obvious problem for the White Sox in the early part of the 2026 season. The problems at the plate have been the quiet partner that makes every loss worse. The Chicago Cubs’ starting lineup has been one of the weakest offensive units in the American League so far this year. They are near the bottom of the league in runs scored, on-base percentage, and contact rate through the first two weeks of play.

The White Sox had a lot of questions about their lineup spots going into 2026, and those questions still don’t have answers. Chicago’s hitters are striking out at an alarming rate and aren’t able to string together two good at-bats in a row. They don’t have a real middle-of-the-order power hitter who can punish mistakes, so the team always goes quiet when runners reach base.

The White Sox only got four hits against Milwaukee’s rotation on Opening Day. This is a small example of a bigger problem with their offense. The bats need to improve along with the pitching for a rebuild to work. Neither side is keeping its end of the deal right now.