Chicago White Sox GM Chris Getz on Colson Montgomery's 1st days in the majors: ‘He looked very comfortable'

Chicago Tribune

08-07-2025

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz called to check in on shortstop Colson Montgomery a few months ago.
'He was going through it,' Getz said Monday at Rate Field. 'He was really struggling. And I said, 'Hey, we're going to figure this out. You're going to figure this out. You just can't quit.' He goes, 'I'm not going to quit.'
'And he didn't.'
Montgomery made his major-league debut Friday with the Sox in a 3-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The 2021 first-round pick played his first home game Monday as the Sox began a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field.
'He looked very comfortable on both sides of the ball,' Getz said of Montgomery's three games over the weekend in Denver. 'And hopefully he continues. We believe in the player, we believe in the person. And most importantly, he deserves the credit. But it's a big deal for this organization.'
The Sox had the Colorado series circled as the possible right time to call up Montgomery from the Triple-A Charlotte.
'He had an incredible week with just the amount of hits, the power, I know he was playing really sound defense,' Getz said of the period of June 23-29, when Montgomery slashed .500/.522/1.227, going 11-for-22 with two doubles, one triple, four home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.749 OPS over five games against Toledo.
'You're never certain on what the ideal time is,' Getz said. 'Talked to (manager) Will Venable and the staff and decided to pull the trigger after talking to the (player development) group. (Director of player development) Paul Janish was very supportive of it. It looked like the right decision.'
Montgomery went 0-for-2 while reaching base on a catcher's interference call and a walk in his big-league debut on Friday. He had three hits — including an RBI triple — during Saturday's 10-3 victory. The first-inning triple served as his first major-league hit and RBI.
He collected two more hits and another RBI in Sunday's 6-4 loss.
Shane Smith started Sunday's game for the Sox. It was a special day for the right-hander, who was named the team's representative for the All-Star Game.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Smith became the second player since at least 2000 to become an All-Star in the season after being selected in the Rule 5 draft.
'We were excited about Shane Smith in the Rule 5 draft, and there's so much that goes into the preparation and making that selection,' Getz said. 'But then, kind of the onboarding and coming to an organization and not being able to be optioned to the minor leagues, he's got to make the big-league club. Can you navigate the season with a Rule 5 pick? But it's gone really well. And Shane should be so proud.
'For Dan Uggla (in 2006) and Shane Smith to be the only Rule 5 picks that make the All-Star team in the year that they're selected — that's small company right there. It's a testament to his hard work, his talent, his determination. And then, it's something to be celebrated with our group that we pushed for the right guy.'
The Sox selected Smith with the top pick of the Rule 5 draft in December during the MLB Winter Meetings. They are preparing this week for the MLB first-year player draft, which begins Sunday. The Sox have the No. 10 pick.
This upcoming weekend also includes the reunion of the 2005 World Series championship team. It will also be another opportunity for the club to honor pitcher Bobby Jenks, who died Friday at the age of 44. He had been battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.
The Sox plan to wear a '45' uniform patch for the remainder of the 2025 season in memory of Jenks. They also did a video tribute prior to Monday's home game.
Getz and Jenks were Sox teammates in 2008-09.
'He'll be dearly missed,' Getz said. 'I'm just happy I was able to play with him, because he really was a special person.
'He pitched with such passion. I know the White Sox fans loved him, and for good reason. It was a sad day when he passed, but I look forward in the coming days just to tell more stories about Bobby.'
Before Monday's game, the Sox placed first baseman Ryan Noda on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain and recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Charlotte.
Gray, 29, has a .280/.349/.493 slash line with 12 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 62 games with the Knights. He has appeared in 25 games at second base, 16 at third and 14 at shortstop.
Gray has played in 17 major-league games over parts of two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2023), Oakland Athletics (2024) and Miami Marlins (2024), going 5-for-33 (.152).
'Power in the bat, defensive versatility,' Venable said of Gray. 'We could see him at any spot in the infield, and a guy that's been around and can put a charge into a baseball.'
Noda, a Grant product, is 3-for-34 (.088) with one home run and one RBI in 16 games this season.