Chicago White Sox pitcher Hagen Smith learned he would be entering Sunday’s game once it resumed about one hour into what turned out to be a 2-hour, 23-minute rain delay.
“I was kind of just waiting around, seeing what time we were going to start,” Smith said on Sunday. “I was moving around a little bit in the weight room, just trying to stay loose and whatnot.
“When we got to a certain time, went out there, played catch and got on the mound.”
Smith, the No. 5 pick in the 2024 draft, pitched two scoreless innings in his major-league debut against the Cleveland Guardians. He struck out three, walked four and didn’t allow a hit while pitching the second and third innings.
He was credited with the victory following the 5-3 win.
“You always dream of this growing up,” Smith said. “Especially when you get drafted you just look forward to the debut and doing it was really cool and a really special moment.”
Smith and fellow prospect Tanner McDougal are the two latest additions to the Sox major-league roster after being called up on Saturday.
“They have been pitching really well down there (in Charlotte),” pitching coach Zach Bove said before Sunday’s game. “Fresh, powerful arms coming out of the ’pen. So that’s going to be good.
“Hagen made some slight changes coming off the IL and stuff like that with a cutter and the delivery. All of that is in a good spot.”
Bove discussed some of the recent arrivals on Sunday.
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Luis Castillo delivers during the first inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
It’s been more than a week since the Sox made a trade with the Seattle Mariners to acquire veteran starter Luis Castillo. The right-hander allowed five runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in four innings on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. He is scheduled to make his second Sox outing Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds at Rate Field.
“There’s definitely some flashes there, the first couple innings, right?” Bove said of Castillo’s Sox debut. “The fastball is really good. Honestly, you look at the line, it wasn’t great, but a lot of weak contact, right? Obviously, the homer got him and stuff like that. But we felt good about (the outing), he just had a good side session. Obviously, we’re excited to have him join the group.”
A few more changeups might be in the mix for Castillo in future starts.
“I think Luis is on board with increasing the changeup, obviously to lefties, but maybe an opportunity to throw to the right-handed hitters, too,” Bove said. “I think part of it, too, is obviously Seattle is a really good organization, they develop pitching, but they’re definitely slider heavy, right? So it’s just like that just naturally, they push the slider more. So understanding where Luis is at, how to get out hitters, I think the changeup you’re going to definitely see an increased usage.”
Reliever Huascar Brazobán, acquired on Aug. 3 from the New York Mets, displayed his changeup and sinker while tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings on Sunday.
“The sinker and the changeup are real,” Bove said. “The guy wants to pitch, he wants to post. He’s very easygoing. He’s going to fit in great. But we are going to lean on the sinker and changeup, for sure.”
The Sox look to further bolster their bullpen with Smith and McDougal.
The two got called up while David Sandlin and Noah Schultz were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Schultz, the team’s 2022 first-round draft pick, is 3-9 with a 6.60 ERA in 15 outings (14 starts) during his rookie season. He has 59 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. He has a combined 88 1/3 innings this year between Triple A and the big leagues.
“Noah, if you just look back at the innings, right, the injuries over the years, this guy hasn’t had like a full season,” Bove said. “He’s 23 years old, has been a top prospect, all of that comes with it. But he’s still getting into his own, and you saw that up here the flashes of, ‘man, this guy can be really good’ and then maybe some inconsistency.
“Noah is obviously a big part of our future, but just use his time (back with Charlotte) as a reset, work on specific things. But also get used to the grind of a season and 130, 140 innings.”