After a grueling rookie season and mounting scrutiny, Braden Montgomery delivered a series-altering hit to push the White Sox to a 2-0 ALDS lead.
When the ball hugged the right-field line and dropped fair, the frustration of a long, quiet summer seemed to vanish for Braden Montgomery. His two-run double in the sixth inning didn’t just break a tie—it justified the unwavering faith of a manager who had refused to move him from the lineup.
The White Sox now head home with a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians and a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series. The win puts the team in position to close out the series at Rate Field as early as Wednesday.
Montgomery’s decisive hit came against left-handed reliever Erik Sobrowski. Despite hitting only .129 right-handed against left-handed pitching during the regular season. the switch-hitting rookie lined a first-pitch fastball down the line to score Miguel Vargas and Randal Grichuk. As he reached second base. Montgomery let out a primal yell. a release of tension that mirrored the sentiment of a team that had stayed behind him through a difficult transition to the major leagues.
“I can’t even describe the energy that was running through me in that moment,” Montgomery said. “To see the ball get down, and to know you’ve got two ducks on the pond that are right there, it’s exhilarating. It was special to touch the bag and look back into the dugout and see my guys.”
Coming into Monday’s game, the path to this moment had been far from linear. After a magical June debut featuring a walk-off home run against the Braves and a pair of doubles the following night. the team’s No. 2 prospect hit a wall. He finished his first regular season with a .662 OPS and just six home runs in 93 games—a stark drop-off from the 27 homers he tallied over 61 games at Texas A&M in 2024. By the time the ALDS started, he was hitless in his previous 10 postseason at-bats.
Manager Will Venable’s insistence on keeping the struggling rookie in the lineup had become a point of external debate. When pressed on why he remained committed to Montgomery, Venable pointed to factors beyond the batting average. “He’s a guy that is not going to shy away from the moment,” Venable said. “As you’re evaluating your best nine on a given day, it’s not just what happens at the plate. It’s defensive ability. It’s baserunning. Really everything.”.
For Montgomery, that public and private backing has fostered a deep sense of loyalty. “Getting to know Will and seeing the man that he is, I respect him so much,” Montgomery said. “To have that confidence in me means the world. I feel like that makes winning ballclubs, when you create these bonds with people. I’d run through a wall for Will.”.
The Sox return to their home stadium for the first time since Sept. 27, when they closed out the regular season with a win over the Rockies. That victory followed a loss the previous night that allowed the Guardians to clinch the Central title by a single game. Now. the dynamic has shifted; the postseason. where stats reset and reputations are forged. has become the stage where the Sox are looking to have the final laugh.
Braden Montgomery White Sox ALDS MLB Will Venable Guardians baseball playoffs