Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery had a historic Major League Baseball debut on Tuesday night, becoming the fifth player ever to hit a walk-off homer in his first game. Montgomery, who was traded from the Boston Red Sox, has been one of baseball’s top prospects and dominated the minor leagues in 2026.

Historic Debut

With the White Sox trailing 5-4 to the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the 10th inning, Montgomery found himself as his new team’s last hope. Facing Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, two outs, game on the line, major league debut … and Montgomery launched a walk-off homer to left field.

After the game, Montgomery was at a loss for words. “That was … I still don’t know what to say,” he said to reporters. “That was unreal.” White Sox reliever Grant Taylor added, “That’s probably the coolest debut of all-time.” Montgomery’s debut and the result are one thing, but what’s most exciting is that this White Sox team went from a national laughingstock to a realistic path to the postseason in just a few years.

Team’s Turnaround

The White Sox committed to rebuilding, making smart, targeted acquisitions and focusing on drafting and player development. Miguel Vargas, who struggled to find playing time on a loaded Los Angeles Dodgers roster, has turned into a star. Munetaka Murakami has struggled with strikeouts, but ranks third in baseball with 20 home runs. Davis Martin has been a revelation in the rotation, and they’ve pieced together bulk and relief outings from Taylor, Sean Burke, Sean Newcomb, and Bryan Hudson.

Sure enough, Chicago’s now just a half-game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central at 35-31. From 41-121 in 2024 to 35-31 in two years. And what a surprise, attendance has increased dramatically, up over 4,400 fans per game. Winning, and entertainment, brings in the crowds. Braden Montgomery is already helping that cause too.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.