Shane Smith Flirts With Perfection as White Sox Dominate Nationals 8-0 in 2025 Season Finale

Sunday, September 28th, 2025

Chicago White Sox Dominate Washington Nationals 8-0 in Season Finale

The Chicago White Sox concluded their 2025 season with a commanding 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals, showcasing dominant pitching and powerful offense in the nation's capital. Both teams finished at the bottom of their respective divisions, but the White Sox will end the year on a high note after showing significant improvement from their previous season.

Shane Smith Shines on the Mound

White Sox starter Shane Smith flirted with history, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning. Smith retired the first 16 batters he faced before Brady House broke up the bid with a single. The right-hander threw six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out eight to cap off his season with a 7-8 record.

White Sox Offense Ignites Early

The scoring started quickly for Chicago as Miguel Vargas crushed a two-run homer off Nationals starter Brad Lord in the first inning. The fourth inning saw Brooks Baldwin go deep with a solo home run, followed by Dominic Fletcher's two-run shot, further extending the White Sox lead. Lord struggled, giving up five runs across four innings of work.

Baldwin continued his big game with a two-run double in the fifth off reliever Shinnosuke Ogasawara, tallying three RBIs on the day. Michael A. Taylor, facing his former team after announcing his retirement, received warm applause from the Nationals crowd before each at-bat and drove in a run on a groundout in his final plate appearance in the eighth inning.

Nationals Season Ends with Disappointment

The Nationals concluded their season with a 66-96 record, finishing in last place in the NL East for the fifth time in six years. Interim manager Miguel Cairo, who took over after Dave Martinez was dismissed midseason, recorded a 29-43 mark.

Washington's offense was stifled by White Sox pitching, managing just one hit all game. Outfielder James Wood struck out three times, ending his rookie campaign with 221 strikeouts, the third-highest single-season total in Major League Baseball history.

The Nationals' total home attendance this season was 1,916,768, representing a 1% decrease from the previous year.

Notable Moments

Bob Carpenter Honored

Before the game, the Nationals organization paid tribute to long-serving broadcaster Bob Carpenter, who is retiring after 20 years as the team's television play-by-play voice. Players and staff emerged from the dugout and bullpen to tip their caps in a heartfelt gesture before first pitch.

Michael A. Taylor's Farewell

Michael A. Taylor, who announced his retirement prior to the game, received recognition from the Nationals fans and finished his career with an RBI in his final at-bat.

Key Stat

James Wood's three strikeouts pushed his season total to 221, trailing only Mark Reynolds (223 in 2009) and Adam Dunn (222 in 2012) for most strikeouts in a single MLB season.

In summary

The Chicago White Sox finished their 2025 campaign with an emphatic 8-0 shutout of the Washington Nationals, powered by Shane Smith's outstanding pitching and home runs from Brooks Baldwin, Miguel Vargas, and Dominic Fletcher. The victory marked a significant step forward for Chicago, improving by 19 wins over their historic 2024 season. Despite a difficult year for the Nationals, the finale provided touching tributes to veterans and legends, as well as a spectacular pitching performance. Both clubs head into the offseason looking to build toward a more competitive 2026.

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