The Chicago White Sox got a sobering reminder on Thursday that they still have a long way to go.
Whether they fall on the good or bad end of the spectrum, Opening Day is always destined to draw some overreactions. The truth of the matter is that it's an incredibly long season, and the White Sox have more than enough time to show signs of the improvement many fans want to see.
Nonetheless, there is no question that Thursday's meeting in Milwaukee felt a lot like the old days.Coming into Thursday afternoon, there were reasons to be concerned about Shane Smith. The team's All-Star rookie from one season ago failed to replicate his results in Arizona. Over his four games and 10.2 innings pitched, Smith recorded a grisly 10.13 ERA, giving up 13 earned runs, recording nine walks, and even hitting five batters. Fast forward to Opening Day, and his command looked just as problematic. He first threw two balls way outside, eventually drawing a full count and giving up a double to Brice Turang. While Smith did eventually get out of the inning unscathed, he threw 18 pitches and failed to settle in. The second inning started with a strikeout before a walk, catcher interference, and a second walk. Joey Ortiz would then tie the game with a single to right field. William Contreras would follow up two batters later with a bases-clearing double that ultimately led Will Venable to pull Smith for veteran Sean Newcomb.To be sure, he still felt like the obvious choice for the Opening Day start. The White Sox' current rotation will leave a lot to be desired until some of their top youngsters are called up. Not to mention, Smith's feel-good 2025 felt like it deserved the honor, especially against the team that saw him go in the Rule 5 Draft. But there are undoubtedly going to be questions now about Smith moving forward. Can he be a top-of-the-rotation staple like the Sox need him to be, particularly in a season where they are looking to take the next competitive step?To be honest, I can oddly live with the Milwaukee Brewers putting up 14 runs. Even with there being some optimism around this bullpen, the Brewers are known for their ability to get on base. Smith also didn't necessarily put this group in the best situation with four runs already on the board. The bigger concern for me was just how lifeless the Sox' lineup looked at the plate. Yes, they were facing the flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski, who finished with a staggering 11 strikeouts in his 5.0 innings on the mound. But this Sox team knew what they were up against coming into the day. They were swinging and missing like crazy. Known to struggle with his command, it was a strange approach against Misiorowski that possibly spoke to their lack of maturity. Simply put, there should have been more opportunities to draw a walk or put something in play. They were just swinging for the fences. I guess the good news is that Munetaka Murakami at least drew two of the team's five total walks. Someone who would have been at the top of the list of strikeout candidates in this one, the newbie showed he was more than just a slugger. But, don't worry, The most shocking decision made by the White Sox coming into Opening Day may have been the decision to keep Jedixson Paez. A righty who was selected in the Rule 5 Draft from the Boston Red Sox, he had never played above High-A ball in his young career. Likewise, his spring training resume left something to be desired with his 6.25 ERA. To be fair, the majority of the Arizona runs he gave up did come in one outing against Cleveland, but the Sox' decision to fast-track him to the majors was undoubtedly a risk. And let's just say it didn't pay off on Thursday! After Paez entered for Jordan Hicks in the bottom of the sixth inning, he instantly walked in a run with some balls in the dirt. He would come back out in the seventh to walk another batter before giving up a single to Christian Yelich and a three-run blast to Jake Bauers. Look, Paez was obviously put in an extremely difficult spot. His adrenaline must have also been sky high, considering the unexpected MLB debut. Still, it's the kind of outing that does make you wonder how long he may last in the bullpen this season. His leash could be longer than some realize due to the Rule 5 draft implications. The Sox can't send him down to the minors without running the risk of Boston scooping him back up.Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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