Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery has impressed early in his major league career by hitting home runs in at least two consecutive games on four separate occasions. On Tuesday, Montgomery will attempt to extend his streak with a third straight homer as the White Sox face the Detroit Tigers in their ongoing series. Montgomery recently hammered a solo home run in the fifth inning of the series opener, although the White Sox fell 2-1 to the Tigers.
In addition, Montgomery’s 452-foot home run on Sunday marked the longest blast at Rate Field this season and helped secure a win against the Cleveland Guardians. The rookie, who has recorded 10 homers in just 32 games, has attributed some of his power surge to switching back to a torpedo bat, which features a thicker barrel and tapers more at the handle.
I guess I like the bat or the bat likes me,
Montgomery said.
I would like to think that if you just give me a bat, I’ll be fine, but some guys have their special thing with certain bats, and I just feel comfortable with it.
—Colson Montgomery, White Sox shortstop
Once I got it, I felt it was pretty natural. When I had to use a normal bat, I felt like there was too much weight at the end. It kind of made me out and around and pull happy, I guess. When I have a torpedo in my hand, I guess I feel tight to the ball and can let the ball track a little bit more and I can whip it to the zone faster.
—Colson Montgomery, White Sox shortstop
Tigers’ Jack Flaherty Faces Challenge to Contain Montgomery
Detroit Tigers right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty will try to stop Montgomery’s hot streak as he aims for his third win against the White Sox this season. Flaherty holds a 6-11 record with a 4.56 ERA and has had success on the mound versus Chicago. Earlier this year, before Montgomery was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte, Flaherty pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out seven in a victory over the White Sox on April 4. He also notched a solid performance on June 2 with six innings and one run allowed, though Montgomery was not yet on the roster.
However, Flaherty has struggled in August, failing to secure a win in his last two starts, including a recent home outing against the Minnesota Twins where he allowed six runs and eight hits in less than five innings. Reflecting on that performance, Flaherty admitted difficulties finding his rhythm.
I couldn’t get strike one, I couldn’t get ahead, I couldn’t land my slider and I barely landed my curveball,
Flaherty said.
Look at it all together, nothing was really good.
—Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers pitcher
Despite recent struggles, Flaherty remains strong historically against the White Sox, holding a 3-1 record with a 2.33 ERA in five career starts. He has accumulated 29 strikeouts against seven walks over 27 innings pitched in those games.
Additional Tigers’ Offensive Firepower and White Sox Pitching Plans
The Tigers overcame a heavy strikeout count on Monday, totaling 13 strikeouts in their win, with Spencer Torkelson providing key offensive support. Torkelson contributed two hits, including a decisive solo home run in the ninth inning that secured the victory. His 26 home runs this season place him just behind teammate Riley Greene, who leads the team. Torkelson has demonstrated consistent power, having hit at least 25 home runs twice in the past three seasons, and has added three in the past five games.
On the pitching front, the White Sox used an opener strategy on Monday following the recent demotion of right-handed pitcher Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A Charlotte. They are expected to continue this approach on Tuesday, although the team had not yet announced their starting pitcher late Monday night.
Implications and Expectations Moving Forward
As the Detroit Tigers continue to battle the Chicago White Sox in this series, the matchup between Jack Flaherty and Colson Montgomery stands out as a critical pitching challenge for the Tigers. Flaherty’s ability to contain Montgomery, who has been on an impressive home run tear using his preferred bat, could be decisive in Detroit’s quest for a series win. Montgomery’s current form and power-hitting potential make him a significant threat, while Flaherty’s historical success against Chicago provides confidence despite recent rough outings.
The Tigers’ offensive contributions from players like Spencer Torkelson add further pressure on the White Sox to find pitching consistency, especially while adjusting with a pitcher demotion and opener strategy. The unfolding series and pitching matchups will be closely watched as both teams look to assert dominance in key moments.