White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery becomes fifth player ever to hit walk-off homer in his Major League debut
Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery had the best debut imaginable in Major League Baseball on Tuesday night.
Montgomery, who came to Chicago from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Garrett Crochet, became one of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the White Sox system. In some rankings, it reached the top 25 in the overall rankings. And he dominated the minor leagues in 2026, hitting a .314/.422/.548 batting line with 10 home runs in 56 games.
Still, given the huge difference in quality between Triple-A pitching and the major leagues, it would make sense if not for Montgomery to take some time to adjust. Instead, with the White Sox trailing 5-4 against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field, Montgomery found himself his new team’s last hope.
Facing Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, two outs, a game on the line, his major league debut… and Montgomery threw a pass to left field, becoming the fifth player to do so in his debut. It doesn’t get any better than this.
WHITE SOX’S MUNETAKA MURAKAMI, COLSON MONTGOMERY COMBINE TO ACHIEVE HISTORIC HOME RUN ACHIEVEMENT
Braden Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox hits a two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning to beat the Atlanta Braves on June 9, 2026 in Chicago. (Paul Beaty/AP)
After the game, Montgomery was unsurprisingly at a loss for words. “This… I still don’t know what to say,” he told reporters in front of his locker. “This wasn’t real.”
“It was unreal,” White Sox reliever Grant Taylor added. MLB.com. “This is probably the coolest debut of all time.”
When asked what he hopes to do moving forward, Montgomery, 23, joked that there’s nowhere to go but down.
“I guess it’s all going to be downhill from here?” he said. “The highest of the highs. Let’s see.”
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“This was something out of dreams. It was something even I couldn’t have designed better,” he added. “This is a group effort. The White Sox aren’t just about us as players. It’s the staff. It’s the fans. It’s the city. It’s nice to all celebrate together.”
Braden Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves on June 9, 2026 in Chicago. (Paul Beaty/AP)
Montgomery’s debut and the result are one thing, but what’s most exciting is that this White Sox team has gone from a national laughing stock to a realistic path to the postseason in just a few years. They decided to rebuild, make smart, targeted acquisitions, and focus on the draft and player development.
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Miguel Vargas, who struggled to find playing time in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ loaded roster, turned into a star. After years of below-average and below-average production, he now ranks in the top 10 in the American League in wins above replacement. So does Colson Montgomery, who had to redo his entire at-bat after struggling to make contact at one point in the minor leagues. Munetaka Murakami has struggled with strikeouts, but he ranks third in baseball with 20 home runs behind Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez. Davis Martin has been a revelation in the rotation, and they have combined for tackles and relief outings from Taylor, Sean Burke, Sean Newcomb and Bryan Hudson.
Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois on June 9, 2026. (Matt Marton/Imagn Images)
Indeed, Chicago is just a half-game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, 35-31. From 41-121 in 2024 to 35-31 in two years. And what a surprise, attendance numbers increased dramatically, reaching over 4,400 fans per game. Winning and fun bring crowds. Braden Montgomery is already helping with this cause.
