Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery had just about the best Major League Baseball debut imaginable on Tuesday night.
Montgomery, who came over to Chicago from the Boston Red Sox in the trade for Garrett Crochet, has become one of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the White Sox system. In some rankings, he’s reached as high as the top 25 overall. And he’s dominated the minor leagues in 2026, hitting 10 home runs in 56 games, along with a .314/.422/.548 batting line.
Still, with the massive gap in quality between even Triple-A pitching and the major leagues, it’d be reasonable, if not expected, that Montgomery would take some time to adjust. Instead, with the White Sox trailing 5-4 to the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the 10th inning at Rate Field, Montgomery found himself as his new team’s last hope.
Facing Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, two outs, game on the line, major league debut … and Montgomery launched a walk-off homer to left field, becoming just the fifth player ever to do so in his first game. Doesn’t get any better than that.
WHITE SOX’S MUNETAKA MURAKAMI, COLSON MONTGOMERY COMBINE TO ACHIEVE HISTORIC HOME RUN FEAT
Chicago White Sox’s Braden Montgomery watches his walk-off two-run home run in the 10th inning to defeat the Atlanta Braves in Chicago on June 9, 2026. (Paul Beaty/AP)
After the game, Montgomery was unsurprisingly at a loss for words. “That was … I still don’t know what to say,” he said to reporters in front of his locker. “That was unreal.”
“It was unreal,” added White Sox reliever Grant Taylor, per MLB.com. “That’s probably the coolest debut of all-time.”
Asked what he hoped for moving forward, the 23-year-old Montgomery joked that there’s nowhere to go but down.
“I guess from here on out, it’s all downhill?” he said. “The highest of the highs. We’ll see.”
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“It was something out of dreams. It’s something that I couldn’t have even drawn up any better myself,” he added. “It’s a group effort. The White Sox isn’t just us as players. It’s the staff. It’s the fans. It’s the city. It’s cool to all celebrate together.”
Chicago White Sox’s Braden Montgomery celebrates after hitting a walk-off two-run home run in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves in Chicago on June 9, 2026. (Paul Beaty/AP)
Montgomery’s debut and the result are one thing, but what’s most exciting is that this White Sox team went from a national laughingstock to a realistic path to the postseason in just a few years. They committed to rebuilding, making smart, targeted acquisitions and focusing on drafting and player development.
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Miguel Vargas, who struggled to find playing time on a loaded Los Angeles Dodgers roster, has turned into a star. After years of below-average to average production, he currently sits in the top 10 in the American League in wins above replacement. So too does Colson Montgomery, who at one point in the minor leagues was forced to rebuild his entire swing after struggling to make contact. Munetaka Murakami has struggled with strikeouts, but ranks third in baseball with 20 home runs behind just Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez. Davis Martin has been a revelation in the rotation, and they’ve pieced together bulk and relief outings from Taylor, Sean Burke, Sean Newcomb and Bryan Hudson.
Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery reacts after hitting a walk-off two-run home run in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field in Chicago, Ill., on June 9, 2026. (Matt Marton/Imagn Images)
Sure enough, Chicago’s now just a half-game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central at 35-31. From 41-121 in 2024 to 35-31 in two years. And what a surprise, attendance has increased dramatically, up over 4,400 fans per game. Winning, and entertainment, brings in the crowds. Braden Montgomery is already helping that cause too.
