Tyler Schweitzer

The White Sox sent right-hander Shane Smith to Triple-A, the team announced. Left-hander Tyler Schweitzer was promoted to the big-league club. To clear a 40-man roster spot for Schweitzer, outfielder Brooks Baldwin was moved to the 60-day IL. Baldwin recently underwent an internal brace procedure and is expected to miss the entire season.

Smith was knocked around for 10 earned runs over 8 2/3 innings across three outings to begin the season. He tossed 3 2/3 scoreless frames against the Orioles on Tuesday, but it was far from an effective outing. Smith walked five and threw just 57 of his 99 pitches for strikes. He was able to dance around the traffic on the bases with the help of eight strikeouts, but the erratic showing ultimately cost him his roster spot.

It’s a swift fall from grace for Smith. The former Rule 5 pick was one of the few success stories from a forgettable 2025 campaign. The righty broke camp with the team and hit the ground running, allowing three earned runs or less in 13 straight starts to open the season. Smith faded as the innings piled up, but finished the year with a solid 3.81 ERA with just under a strikeout per inning.  The solid effort earned Smith an All-Star selection and the Opening Day nod for 2026.

Smith hasn’t been hit particularly hard during this difficult three-start run, but he’s struggled to consistently find the strike zone. The righty has now issued nine free passes following Tuesday’s five-walk performance. He had similar challenges in MLB Spring Training, walking nine over 10 2/3 innings. Smith has frequently fallen behind opposing hitters, posting a 51% first-pitch strike rate. That mark was 60.4% in 2025. Heading to the minors will give him a chance to iron out the control issues.

Schweitzer was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. The lefty has steadily moved up the minor league ladder, reaching Triple-A by the end of last season. Schweitzer’s stint with Charlotte didn’t go so well (7.92 ERA over 50 IP), but he got off to a better start this year. The 25-year-old allowed just one earned run over five frames with the Knights before getting called up.

MLB Pipeline ranks Schweitzer at No. 23 among Chicago’s prospects. The southpaw boasts a mid-90s heater that reaches 98 mph, along with a changeup, slider, and curveball. MLB Pipeline’s scouting report identified the changeup as Schweitzer’s best pitch, given its movement and deception.

James Fegan of Sox Machine first reported Smith’s demotion. Elijah Evans of Just Baseball was first to report Schweitzer’s promotion.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images