CLEVELAND -- You are Colson Montgomery.
In 155 games since being called up by the White Sox to the Majors on July 4, 2025, in Colorado, you have hit 43 homers. The first one came on July 22 of last season and the most recent arrived in the eighth inning Saturday, giving the White Sox a 3-1 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field -- their first win in that ballpark since 2024.
So of these 43 connections, ranking Montgomery only behind Kyle Schwarber (54) and Junior Caminero (46) since the date of his first, which is the shortstop’s favorite?
“Tonight,” said a smiling Montgomery. “I don’t remember most of them. I’ll just say tonight.”
Truth be told, Montgomery was prompted to say Saturday’s Statcast-projected 402-foot blast during his postgame media scrum. But it’s a good choice even without the power of suggestion.
After getting walked off in each of the first two contests of this four-game weekend set, Montgomery’s blast brought the White Sox (46-42) even with the Guardians (47-43) atop the American League Central. Their losing streak ended at three, meaning the White Sox remain the only team in the Majors without a losing streak of four games or longer this season.
Montgomery’s team-best 22nd home run came off left-handed reliever Tim Herrin, giving him eight off southpaws in ‘26. So, the apparent gift for a first anniversary in Major League Baseball is the home run.
“I’ve just narrowed down the things I need to do on a day-to-day basis, what my body needs to get ready for the game,” said Montgomery of his first year in the big leagues. “What mentally I need to do before the game. Coming up here, last year as a new guy, I felt like I needed to do everything, be everywhere.
“Everyone here, we’ve all gotten to the point where we know what we need to do. That’s the biggest thing. The game and stuff, our training will take care of itself out on the field. It’s more of just the process on a day-to-day basis.”
Right-hander Sean Burke was dominant against the Guardians, setting a career high with 11 strikeouts against no walks. He yielded seven hits, including an Austin Hedges home run, but stranded a runner at third with less than two outs on three occasions.
Brandon Eisert earned the victory with two perfect innings of relief, as Grant Taylor notched his third save with little trouble in the ninth. But Burke’s outing was win-deserving.
“He had a really good cutter tonight,” said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt of Burke. “Obviously the good fastball as well. He was laying in that curveball, and he can shape the cutter, slider. They mimic each other and one's bigger. I thought he commanded that arm-side cutter really well. He went to it in almost every action count and was just dotting that outside corner, just like he did a couple weeks ago at their place. He was outstanding.”
“It was outstanding. He just filled up the zone,” said White Sox manager Will Venable of Burke. “That was the game plan coming in. Part of beating these guys is limiting walks. Obviously he did that. Knew it was going to be about continuing to pound the zone.”
Here’s where Montgomery’s eighth-inning connection, following his first inning RBI double off All-Star Parker Messick scoring All-Star Miguel Vargas, takes on meaning beyond the anniversary. Montgomery and Burke are good friends aside from being teammates, living together and working out together in Nashville for much of the offseason.
They know how good this team can be. They know the high-level on-field capabilities within each other, regardless of the on-field results.
“He was a dawg today, from the start,” said Montgomery of Burke. “His past couple of outings, he’s found his groove and he’s going to continue to keep building on it. Tonight he was big for us.”
“I see the work he puts in. We work out together every single day,” said Burke of Montgomery. “I see how he is as a person hanging out, just chilling at the house in the offseason. Our conversations, what we talk about, what we want for each other and the team. I’m not surprised at any of this. He’s that special of a player.”
Their combined efforts ended the South Siders’ nine-game losing streak at Progressive Field, as they last won in Cleveland on July 3, 2024. They hope their winning ways continue Sunday, sending the White Sox home with a series split and in first place.
“We keep playing well, they keep playing well, it’s going to be a race down to the wire,” Burke said. “It’s good for us after losing two heartbreakers to get in here and pull out one late.”