The White Sox got a scare with Colson Montgomery on Wednesday, but the early news offered at least one encouraging sign.
Montgomery was hit in the fourth inning of Chicago’s rubber match against the Cleveland Guardians, and the sequence turned ugly fast. He had taken a pitch and swung at a sinker before an errant throw by Parker Messick struck his forearm.
Montgomery dropped his bat right away and clutched his wrist in obvious pain. He stayed in the game long enough to reach first base, and the inning ended one batter later when Luisangel Acuña grounded into a force out.
By the bottom of the fifth, though, Montgomery was out of the field. The White Sox announced he was removed with a left wrist contusion, and the concern followed immediately.
The club later said the initial X-rays came back negative, which is a relief given how the play looked. Montgomery is now listed as day-to-day. Will Venable also said after the game that Montgomery had to leave because he was having trouble swinging the bat.
Even before the injury, this had been a rough stretch for Montgomery. His first full season in the majors has not unfolded the way the White Sox expected, especially after he was projected to be a major part of the lineup’s success.
The power has shown up, with 31 homers and 84 RBIs, and his bat speed sits in the 94th percentile according to Baseball Savant. But the overall production has lagged badly.
He is hitting .203 across 144 games with a .710 OPS.
The last couple of weeks have been especially rough. Over his previous 15 games, Montgomery is slashing .102/.254/.265, with 26 strikeouts and only five hits.
The White Sox knew slugging was his calling card. What they needed in 2026 was more consistent contact, and that hasn’t come through. That makes his slump a real concern, particularly at this point in the calendar.
Chicago now has another problem to manage as well. After dropping two of three to the Guardians, the White Sox have lost control of the AL Central.
There is still time to climb back into the top spot, but it will require a major offensive turnaround. Montgomery could still be part of that push if he gets back quickly and gets going.
In Other News...
Chris Getz Hinted At A White Sox Draft Reset Fans Should Watch
The White Soxs scouting operation is in the spotlight again after amateur scouting director Mike Shirley resigned amid an internal investigation tied to allegations of verbal harassment involving inappropriate racial and sexist comments. Shirley had been placed on administrative leave in August after an anonymous tip, and his departure came after an HR investigation, leaving another significant change at a department that plays a major role in the clubs long-term rebuild.
General manager Chris Getz has already hinted that the scouting setup may not look the same going forward, though he has not gone into detail about Shirleys exit. For a team trying to reshape its pipeline and restore some stability, the next move in that department matters almost as much as the departure itself, because the White Sox are now left to decide how they want to structure the group responsible for finding the next wave of talent. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Prospects Headed To Arizona Could Shape Chicagos Next Wave
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For Chicago, the Fall League is less about the standings than the stage. Relievers Pierce George and Mathias LaCombe, along with Bonemer in the outfield, are among the prospects worth tracking after recent minor league showings, and this next stretch will let them test themselves against other top young talent. It is the kind of assignment that can quietly shape how a farm system is viewed, especially for a club still building its next wave. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Just Took A Brutal Hit In The AL Central Race
A tight division race just tilted in Clevelands favor, and the White Sox were left to process a loss that carried a little more weight than the final score suggested. The Guardians beat Chicago 6-3 and moved into first place in the AL Central, turning a late-inning swing into a standings shift with plenty of season still left to sort out.
Sean Newcomb gave up the go-ahead three-run homer to Petey Halpin in the sixth, and Jos Ramrez followed with an RBI double to keep the pressure on. Chicago also had to monitor Colson Montgomery, who exited with a bruised left wrist before X-rays came back negative, leaving the club with a day-to-day situation at a time when every available bat matters. [Read more 🡒]