White Sox vs. Braves Lineup: Is Colson Montgomery Ok? Chris Sale in Town, More
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You know what is better than a walk-off home run in your MLB debut? A walk-off home run in back-to-back games to start your MLB career!
In all seriousness, Braden Montgomery will have a much tougher task tonight in only his second-ever game. The outfielder will face off against a White Sox legend in Chris Sale, who is having another stellar season for the Atlanta Braves. A switch-hitter, Montgomery has struggled far more this season against lefties than righties.
Game Info
Who: Chicago White Sox (35-31) vs. Atlanta Braves (45-22)
Where: Rate Field
When: 6:40 CT
Watch: CHSN
Listen: ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM, 107.9 La Ley
Chicago White Sox Lineup
1. Chase Meidroth, 2B
2. Randal Grichuk, DH
3. Miguel Vargas, 3B
4. Edgar Quero, C
5. Braden Montgomery, RF
6. Derek Hill, LF
7. Jacob Gonzalez, 1B
8. Luisangel Acuña, SS
9. Tristan Peters, CF
Will Venable is going with a nearly identical lineup to the last time he faced a lefty on June 5. The only difference this time around is that Braden Montgomery will slide in at the five spot, while Sam Antonacci will sit in place of Jacob Gonzalez in the seven hole.
There is no question that – even with a lefty on the mound – this is a pretty drastic shake-up for the Sox. It's especially jarring to see the lack of raw power in the lineup. Grichuk has been better than expected since arriving, while Vargas has obviously had a strong year. However, the absence of Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery could certainly be felt tonight.
Speaking of which, Colson is not in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game. He sat on Tuesday with back tightness, though the Sox made it seem as if it was more precautionary than anything. Is this a sign of a bigger issue, or might Venable sub him in later in the game once Chris Sale is taken out?
Edgar Quero in the clean-up spot also remains a real head-scratcher at this point in the season. Yes, he killed lefties in 2025, but you need to look no further than his .190 batting average to know the results haven't been there.
Atlanta Braves Lineup
1. Michael Harris II, CF
2. Ozzie Albies, 2B
3. Matt Olson, 1B
4. Dominic Smith, DH
5. Mauricio Dubón, SS
6. Austin Riley, 3B
7. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
8. Jorge Mateo, SS
9. Austin Wynns, C
The White Sox will dodge Ronald Acuña Jr. after he hits the IL with a hamstring injury. The Braves will also go lefty-heavy at the top of the order, leading off with Michael Harris II before the switch-hitting Ozzie Albies bats second. Matt Olson and Dominic Smith will round out the Top 4 with four-straight lefties for Davis Martin.
On the Mound ...
White Sox – Davis Martin, RHP
Unlike some of the White Sox' other rotation members, Davis Martin hasn't hit a slump yet. He is on his way toward an All-Star appearance with a 2.61 ERA in his first 12 starts. Overall, he is struck out 73 batters and walked a mere 17. His chase rate has also been one of the highest in baseball at 35.2 percent.
Per usual, Martin has done a fantastic job mixing up his pitches. While he continues to lean heaviest on his four-seamer, he essentially uses his sinker, change-up, and slider interchangeably as a secondary pick. He also has a cutter and curveball in his bag. With that said, expect to see plenty of change-ups and cutters against the top of this Braves order.
It is worth mentioning that Martin's last start was his worst of the year. He gave up six earned runs and walked three in just 4.2 innings of work against the Twins. Still, Martin has earned himself an off-day. Let's see if he can get back in rhythm tonight.
Braves – Chris Sale, LHP
What is there to say? White Sox fans know how dominant Chris Sale can be. He has a near 30.0 percent strikeout rate this season to go along with a hard hit percentage that sits in the 91st percentile. He has a mid-90s fastball that he pairs with a ridiculous slider that averages out at 79.2 mph. If the Sox want any chance at pulling this one out, it's going to be about staying patient and waiting for a fastball near the middle of the zone. A lot easier said than done!
Sale has a 2.98 ERA this season and is 8-4 in his 12 starts. Overall, he has only given up more than 3 earned runs in a game once this season.
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Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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