The question on everyone’s lips: Will Shane Smith pitch?
So the real question we have about the All-Star Game is this: Is Shane Smith the worst White Sox player the team has ever sent to the All-Star Game? I don’t have time to do the official research, but it is a fair bet that he may truly be. I’m thinking that some of the awful White Sox clubs from the 1930s or 1940s could have ponied up a stinker, but even then you had Luke Appling getting a yearly appearance and not much other pressure to fill out the roster with many more mediocre White Sox. The late 1960s? Carlos May in 1969 might have been borderline — but no, actually, just looked him up, his first half was KILLER and a pedestrian season WAR could have been more a factor of defensive play.
So I’ll say it, Smith, at 0.6 WAR and tumbling, is the worst player the White Sox have ever sent to the All-Star Game. Don’t you dare blame Aaron Boone if Smith sees no time tonight (OK, maybe if it turns into an NL blowout).
Now that I’ve given you reason to watch, here is your pitching matchup and lineups!
Paul Skenes, at 23, is starting his second straight All-Star Game — the youngest player ever to do so.
These lineups are intact per fan voting, save for José Ramírez, who was voted to start at third but is banged up and opted out of the game.
The Midsummer Classic kicks off at 7 p.m. CT, available on Fox television and ESPN radio.