Colson Montgomery has been one of the biggest reasons the Chicago White Sox have stayed in the hunt this season, but the timing of his latest slump could hardly be worse.
The 24-year-old has piled up 28 home runs and provided strong defense at two spots, with +3 Outs Above Average at third base and +6 OAA at shortstop. That production has helped him reach 2.6 fWAR, which ranks fifth among White Sox position players this year, behind only Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth, Tristan Peters, and Munetaka Murakami. For a second-year middle infielder, that’s the kind of profile that starts to push a player into “future face of the franchise” territory.
But the bat has gone quiet in a hurry.
Since June 1, Montgomery has been below the Mendoza Line at .192, with a 72 wRC+ and a 38.2% strikeout rate. The slump has only deepened in August, where he’s hitting .186/.252/.309 over 25 games.
His .562 OPS is the worst monthly mark of his MLB career, and his 44.2% strikeout rate this month is even more alarming. Nearly half of his plate appearances in August have ended with a strikeout.
That’s a brutal stretch for any hitter, but especially for one whose game is built around loud pull-side power. Montgomery’s career pull rate sits at 48.9%, well above the 37.5% league average, and that kind of approach leaves him vulnerable when his timing slips.
He has to get to pitches earlier, which helps explain the chase and whiff numbers. At the same time, the White Sox can’t live with a player failing to put the ball in play in nearly half of his trips to the plate.
None of this means Montgomery’s long-term outlook has changed. His tools are too good for that.
But the White Sox are ahead of schedule and fighting to protect their division lead, and possibly a first-round bye. In that setting, they need more than promise from their star shortstop.
They need him to stop getting swallowed by this slump.
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