Colson Montgomery focused on line drives as part of his one-on-one sessions with Chicago White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller during the couple of weeks in late April/early May while at the team’s Arizona complex.
“First thing we kind of went to, we wanted to practice trying to keep the ball kind of low to the ground, line drives and things like that,” Montgomery said Monday. “Some of my cues in the cage, I’m trying to hit a low line drive to the shortstop. Keeps me tighter to the ball. Not really a normal home run swing.
“I feel like a lot of the hitters can tell you, if they tried doing home run swings, it’s probably not going to work.”
The shortstop’s approach has been working at the big-league level. Montgomery homered to right field in the fifth inning of Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field. It was his 10th home run since being called up from Triple-A Charlotte on July 4. All 10 home runs have come since the All-Star break.
“He’s having fun,” Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames said last week in Seattle. “When he got here, we’re doing the same routine he was doing when he was in Triple A. And now it’s just a game-planning part of things, of him learning what pitchers are trying to do to him.
“He’s done a heck of a job, he has. And he’s just got to keep working, just knowing that the opposing team is going to make adjustments and that he’s got to make adjustments. That’s just part of the game. But I like where he’s at right now. He’s holding his own on both sides of the baseball.”
Thames recently discussed some of the second-half production for the Sox.
Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero became the sixth pair of catchers in major-league history to record four hits in back-to-back games. Teel accomplished the feat on July 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Quero followed on July 25 against the Chicago Cubs at Rate Field.
Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Teel, who had two hits Monday, entered Tuesday hitting .260 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 41 games. The switch-hitting Quero is batting .268 — .374 against left-handed pitchers — with three home runs and 26 RBIs in 74 games.
“For those guys being young guys (and) their first time up here, being able to handle a pitching staff and on the offensive side of things, I think they’re wise beyond their years,” Thames said. “Both of them have always hit, even in the minor leagues they hit. Nothing has really changed for them.
“Both of them bring something really positive to the ballclub. Offensively, they’re not afraid. And that’s what I like about them. Even in our meetings, usually you get younger guys and in our hitters’ meeting, they don’t say much. But these guys, they speak up, and they talk about what they’ve seen, and I think that’s kudos to those guys with where they’re at in their career.”
Infielder Curtis Mead is in a new stage of his career after being traded to the Sox from the Rays at the trade deadline on July 31. The first steps from Thames with the new addition included asking questions.
“Give me a couple cues that make you tick,” Thames said. “And make sure we’re watching that. And then if we see something, we’ll let him know. But we want guys to be themselves.
“Overall, watching stuff when he was in Tampa and when he was in the minor leagues. He can use the whole field. But usually just try to work off of him and then if we see something, we’ll address it.”
Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. did not get dealt at the trade deadline and continued a 23-game on-base streak, which ended on Friday. He slashed .359/.427/.577 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and 19 runs during the stretch.
Chicago White Sox’s Edgar Quero rounds the bases in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Rate Field in Chicago on July 29, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
“When Luis is staying inside the baseball and driving the ball to the big part of the field, that’s when he’s at his best,” Thames said.
“And he’s sticking with it. His timing is better. And I think that’s why we’re seeing some success with Luis. He’s a talented player. I said that even when he was struggling, it was just a matter of time for him getting going.”
The Sox as a whole are going in the right direction from a power perspective. The team leads the majors with 41 home runs since the All-Star break. Thames sees a group that’s been on the attack.
“Teams that slug, they swing,” Thames said. “You’ve got to be on the attack and be ready to go.”
Miguel Vargas returns from the IL
The Sox reinstated infielder Miguel Vargas from the 10-day injured list, one of four roster moves announced Tuesday afternoon.
The team also designated outfielder Corey Julks for assignment, selected the contract of pitcher Yoendrys Gómez from Charlotte and optioned pitcher Elvis Peguero to Charlotte.
Vargas retroactively went on the injured list on Aug. 2 with a left oblique strain.
“He’s just been solid for us all year, somebody that you trust offensively, constructing good at-bats, defensively, on the bases,” manager Will Venable said on Tuesday. “He’s a team leader, somebody that we’ve missed and excited to have back.”
Originally Published: August 12, 2025 at 6:47 PM CDT