White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery becomes the fifth player ever to hit a walk-off home run in his Major League debut
Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery had about the best Major League Baseball debut imaginable on Tuesday night.
Montgomery, who came to Chicago from the Boston Red Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade, has become one of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the White Sox system. In some rankings, he reached as high as the top 25 overall. He also led the minor leagues in 2026, with 10 home runs in 56 games, and a .314/.422/.548 batting line.
Still, with the large gap in quality between Triple-A and the big leagues, it would make sense, if not unexpected, 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.
Against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, two outs, game on the line, big league debut … and Montgomery launched a walk-off homer to left field, becoming the fifth player ever to do so in his debut. It doesn’t get any better than that.
WHITE SOX’S MUNETAKA MURAKAMI, COLSON MONTGOMERY COMBINE FOR HISTORY HOME RUN FEAT
Braden Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox watches his two-run home run in the 10th inning to beat the Atlanta Braves in Chicago on June 9, 2026. (Paul Beaty/AP)
After the game, Montgomery was speechless. “That was … I still don’t know what to say,” he told reporters in front of his locker. “That wasn’t true.”
“It wasn’t real,” added White Sox reliever Grant Taylor, per MLB.com. “That’s probably the coolest debut of all time.”
Asked if he hopes to move on, Montgomery, 23, joked that he has nowhere to go but down.
“I guess from here on out, it’s all downhill?” he said. “The highest. We’ll see.”
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“It was something that came out of dreams. It was something that I couldn’t have drawn better myself,” he added. “It’s a team effort. The White Sox aren’t just about us as players. It’s about the staff. It’s about the fans. The city. It’s cool that we all have fun together.”
Braden Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves in Chicago on June 9, 2026. (Paul Beaty/AP)
Montgomery’s start and output is one thing, but what’s more exciting is that this White Sox team went from being a national laughingstock to a realistic path to the postseason in just a few years. They are committed to rebuilding, making smart, targeted acquisitions and focusing on player drafting and development.
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Miguel Vargas, who struggled to find playing time in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ full lineup, has become a star. After years of below-average production, he currently sits in the top 10 in the American League in wins over innings. So did Colson Montgomery, who was once in the minor leagues and was forced to rebuild his entire swing after struggling to connect. Munetaka Murakami has struggled with hitting, but ranks third in baseball with 20 home runs behind only Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez. Davis Martin has been a revelation in the rotation, and they’ve put together plenty of 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, Ill., on June 9, 2026. (Photos by Matt Marton/Imagn)
Indeed, Chicago is 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 amazingly, attendance has skyrocketed, rising to more than 4,400 fans per game. Winning, and having fun, brings in the crowds. Braden Montgomery is already helping that as well.
