CHICAGO – It was a pretty good weekend for the White Sox.
Actually, it was darn near great until Sunday, when the Rangers rallied for three in the ninth off Jordan Leasure, erasing a one-run deficit and then hanging on for a 5-4 victory at Rate Field. That rally erased the White Sox chances for their first series sweep since Sept. 24-26, 2024 at home against the Angels.
As is the case with any rebuild, that overall upbeat feeling is rooted deeper than the Major League level.
Let’s start with Colson Montgomery, the No. 6 White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and an integral component of the White Sox moving forward, regardless of a rough start to the ‘25 season at Triple-A Charlotte. Sitting with a .149 average and a .478 OPS on April 27, Montgomery was sent to Arizona for a reset on his approach and mindset, working with Ryan Fuller, the director of hitting, for up to eight hours a day at the team’s Camelback Ranch complex before getting back into games.
That work paid dividends, as shown through Montgomery’s two home runs and two doubles during Saturday night’s contest against Round Rock. Since his return to the Knights, Montgomery is 13-for-36 with five doubles, two homers, six RBIs and five walks in nine games.
“We talked about not reinventing who Colson was in two weeks, but reaffirming who he is and what he does best,” said Fuller during a Sunday morning interview session. “We saw some things movement-wise that just wasn’t matching up with what he does when he’s at his best. So that was the performance staff, the biomechanists, everybody working together, to say when you are at your best, here’s how you are moving, and every day we can inch closer.
“Leaving there was great physically, mentally as well. We got to talk about mindset, go out to dinner every night. It was a great experience, and to see him go out and have success and have fun and look like himself again, that’s how you want to draw it up.”
Fuller also discussed the ongoing excellence of catcher Kyle Teel, the No. 2 White Sox prospect and No. 28 overall, per MLB Pipeline, who carried a 31-game on-base streak into the Knights’ Sunday night contest, as well as outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 4 White Sox, No. 38 overall), who launched a walk-off two-run double for High-A Winston-Salem Saturday night as part of his vast first-season success. Fuller even highlighted Ryan Galanie, Double-A Birmingham’s third baseman, who has an .895 OPS over 168 at-bats, as an early-season surprise from the system.
This growth isn’t limited to the Minor League level, although it’s these players who might have White Sox fans most hopeful for the future. Miguel Vargas, the reigning AL Player of the Week, homered and doubled in Sunday’s setback and is hitting .303 with seven doubles, seven homers, 17 RBIs and 16 runs scored over his last 29 games. Six of his seven homers have come in May.
Vargas was joking with Fuller pregame about being in Chicago two days and already doing interviews. But the work of the White Sox hitting instructors and the work from Vargas have made a major difference.
“He was so hungry for information of, ‘How can you make me better?’” Fuller said. “He’s still asking for it, and he’s AL Player of the Week. He always wants feedback and ways of getting better.”
At 17-36 overall, though, the White Sox are still learning to win.
Leasure hit Josh Jung with an 0-2 pitch to start the ninth Sunday, and following a Jake Burger double and an Alejandro Osuna strikeout, Kyle Higashioka hit a hard grounder fielded by Vargas, who bobbled the ball when trying to go home from third and then went to first to get the sure out. First baseman Lenyn Sosa was not standing on the base, allowing Higashioka to reach, with Adolis García delivering the game-winning two-run double.
The series victory was a positive step for the White Sox. Their less-than-thrilled reaction to Sunday’s final was an even greater sign.
“To be honest -- and I think it's a good thing -- everybody's [upset],” said White Sox starter Davis Martin, who allowed two runs in six innings. “That's a big sign, we're not happy with two out of three.
“We feel like we left that game there to win, and that's a sign of growth, and that's a sign of a turning point with this team. Obviously, we love the series win, we want to stack as many as we can. But when you have a series sweep available, you've got to take advantage."
Senior Reporter Scott Merkin has covered the White Sox for MLB.com since 2003.