CLEVELAND -- Hagen Smith keeps showing up in the White Sox’s October plans no matter how the assignment changes.
The rookie left-hander opened the American League Wild Card Series with three scoreless innings against the Astros on Tuesday, then followed that with 2 2/3 more shutout frames in Chicago’s 3-0 win over the Guardians in Game 1 of the AL Division Series on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field. In that outing, Smith struck out four, allowed no hits and issued three walks while throwing 51 pitches.
Smith said that workload left him open to another appearance as soon as Game 2 on Monday.
“I’ve kind of got used to working that reliever schedule in terms of like every other day and being available,” Smith said. “I've got a good routine with it, so I kind of got drawn into it and that's how it is now, so it's been good.”
That flexibility has turned Smith into something close to a secret weapon for Chicago. He began the season starting games for Triple-A Charlotte, then shifted into relief after missing about a month with left shoulder impingement. Once he got into the White Sox bullpen in early August, he was dominant, finishing the regular season with a 1.29 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 28 innings.
The White Sox used him in the Wild Card round as a starter, and he answered again against Cleveland with another outing that helped keep the club’s unexpected playoff run moving. The stuff was loud: his fastball averaged 95 mph and reached 97.5 mph, while the 83.5 mph slider and 89 mph cutter kept hitters guessing.
Guardians designated hitter Jo Adell said Smith did a strong job working the edges.
“He did a really good job of really hitting the corner,” said Guardians designated hitter Jo Adell. “He didn’t really miss middle-middle with very many pitches at all.
My one at-bat against him, really good pitch middle-away on the outside corner. He was able to move the fastball around pretty good and move the breaking stuff in and away.
I thought he did a really good job.”
Smith looked in control early, but the third inning got away from him. With two outs, he walked three straight batters and exited with the bases loaded. Bryan Hudson took over and got Chase DeLauter to fly out to left to end the threat.
“It was awesome,” Smith said. "Obviously, that last inning didn't go the way that I wanted it to, but Huddy came in there and shut it down. And [then] everybody else did the same.”
White Sox manager Will Venable said Smith was expected to work three or four innings depending on pitch count, but the control issues forced the hook in the third. That decision pushed Venable into some unusual bullpen maneuvering, including a four-inning save from right-hander Grant Taylor.
“We talked about coming in about walks and how that's really a recipe for disaster against these guys, and so we were in some tough spots there,” Venable said. “They were starting to get to Hagen in that third inning, walking a couple guys.
The plan going in was going to be Hagen, plus Hudson to get through DeLauter that second time through. Obviously Hagen was at the end of his day and walked a few guys, but big out there against DeLauter by Huddy.”
Chicago has not announced a Game 2 starter after Sunday’s off-day. Venable said he expects right-hander Sean Burke to work in a bulk role.
Smith is unlikely to start again Monday, though he could be available for an inning. The White Sox could also save him for Game 3 in Chicago on Wednesday after another off-day on Tuesday.
For Smith, the assignment hardly seems to matter. He said he’s ready for whatever comes next and is enjoying the ride with a club that has kept surprising people in the postseason after three straight seasons of more than 100 losses.
“We all have belief in each other,” Smith said. “I think that's the main thing for us -- is that everyone trusts each other when we go out there. That's really the big part of it, and we all play hard and play for each other.”
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