Braden Montgomery is Showing Up When It Matters Most for the White Sox

White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery has gotten one clutch hit after another, including in the ALDS.

Oct 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery (24) runs the bases on a two-run double against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Think back to Braden Montgomery's MLB debut on June 9. What was already a great night, in which he earned his first MLB hit and RBI in front of 30 friends and family members, became legendary when he hit a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th inning.

To make it even more dramatic for the local TV audience, Bob Costas was on the call for what had been marketed as a 1980s tribute broadcast. Montgomery could never have played another game in the bigs, and it still would have been a storybook evening.

As Montgomery circled the bases, Costas interjected, "Talk about drama! Talk about theatre!" Costas obviously intended to describe the moment, but knowing what we know now, he might as well have been talking about Montgomery, too.

Braden Montgomery Continues Year 1 Breakout

Sep 27, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery (24) is seen in the dugout before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fans tuning in for Game 2 of the ALDS were surely impressed by Braden Montgomery's two-out, two-run, go-ahead RBI double. After all, it's always fun for any baseball fan to see a rookie come through in a big moment on the postseason stage.

But Montgomery did this throughout the regular season. He had his best slash line with two outs at .278/.375/.454.

It gets even more ridiculous when you see what Montgomery did with a runner on third with two outs. He slashed .273/.467/.636 for an otherworldly 1.103 OPS. Even with a runner simply in scoring position and two outs, Montgomery slashed .303/.477/.485. With the bases loaded, his OPS goes up to 1.167.

BRADEN MONTGOMERY DELIVERS

White Sox lead in the 6th! pic.twitter.com/AZcggaO5U0

— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2026

Now, there's an argument to be made that those numbers are somewhat misleading since Montgomery didn't play a full season. But nobody is going to care about that when he's helping the White Sox win games, especially during the playoffs.

Making this even more impressive is that Montgomery is the youngest position player on the playoff roster. He is also now the youngest player in White Sox history to have a go-ahead hit while trailing in the playoffs, per Just Baseball. If he was supposed to feel the pressure of the bigs, somebody forgot to tell him. And, as far as Sox fans are concerned, that's perfectly fine. They don't want or need him to feel any pressure now.

Now, the Sox are going home, and that's where Montgomery hit all six of his home runs during the regular season. That makes him all the more dangerous, and he'll be taking at-bats in front of what is sure to be one of the most raucous crowds in the 35-year history of Rate Field. And with his youth, don't be surprised if he takes even more inspiration from that.