It was Dec. 11, 2024, and Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick had a sinking feeling.
He was working out in Boston with a group of pro players from that area, including then-Brewers farmhand Shane Smith, when Smith learned he’d been selected first overall by the White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft. Nearly 16 months later, Smith is poised to start against his old club and Jacob Misiorowski on Opening Day at American Family Field.
For Frelick and the Brewers, Smith is one of those guys who got away.
“I played with Shane since I was 9 years old, so I know him pretty well,” Frelick said. “I couldn’t believe we didn’t protect him. I knew he was going 1.1. I knew what he was capable of.”
It’s easy to question the Brewers’ call in hindsight, but it was not so obvious in the moment, given Smith’s injury history and that his fastball wasn’t yet the beast that it was by the end of 2025, regularly reaching 98 mph and in the 99th percentile in Statcast run value. Brewers officials had a crowded 40-man roster and extensively debated whether to keep Smith protected, ultimately deciding to take a chance that he’d get through.
Now, they’ll tangle with him in the earliest season opener in either franchise’s history, and the third time that these former American League foes are meeting in a season opener.
White Sox: RHP Shane Smith
Previous Opening Day starts: None
2025 season: 7-8, 3.81 ERA in 29 starts
Smith’s ascension to the top of the White Sox rotation is the stuff of movie scripts, based on the early stages of his career. Smith started with the Brewers’ organization after going undrafted following an injury-riddled collegiate stint with Wake Forest, but he was selected by the White Sox with the top pick of that 2024 Rule 5 Draft and became a ‘25 All-Star.
This rise wasn’t immediate, as Smith walked three and allowed four runs over 1 2/3 innings against Texas during his first ‘25 Cactus League start with the White Sox. Smith also overcame a midseason mound funk to lead the team with 146 1/3 innings pitched and 145 strikeouts. The 25-year-old becomes the fifth different White Sox Opening Day starter in the last five years while also being counted on as a staff leader.
“It’s been a long journey from being 18 [years old] to being 25,” said Smith, who had shoulder surgery as a freshman in college and Tommy John as a junior. “A lot of reflection. Being grateful for having the opportunity to get healthy again and hopefully step on the mound.”
“Hopefully it’s just the start of it for him,” said White Sox assistant pitching coach Bobby Hearn, who was teammates for one season with Smith at Wake Forest. “But incredibly deserving, really hard working. Very passionate about what he does, you can see the intensity day to day. So a very cool moment.”
Brewers: RHP Jacob Misiorowski
Previous Opening Day starts: None
2025 season: 5-3, 4.36 ERA in 15 games (14 starts)
It seemed as if Misiorowski crammed a career’s worth of experiences into a few frenzied months in 2025. He arrived in the Majors in June firing 103 mph fastballs, didn’t allow a hit until his 13th inning on the mound, won games opposite Paul Skenes and Clayton Kershaw and was named to the NL All-Star team after only five starts -- the earliest invitation in MLB history. Then he struggled so badly that the Brewers removed him from the rotation and tried him out of the bullpen, where Misiorowski re-emerged as a postseason weapon against the Cubs in the NLDS and the Dodgers in the NLCS.
Misiorowski and the Brewers would both appreciate a steadier season in 2026.
“The postseason going how it went made it a lot easier to swallow how the regular season ended,” Misiorowski said. “It was good it ended that way. It propelled me into the offseason to really train hard and get ready for this year.”
He’s getting the nod on Opening Day because Quinn Priester will open on the injured list due to symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome and because Brewers mainstay Brandon Woodruff isn’t quite ready. The Brewers could have pushed Woodruff to pitch the opener, but given his injury history over the past three seasons, they are instead prioritizing getting him ready for September and, they hope, October.