Pregame notes: Braden Montgomery debuts, Colson Montgomery rests

At long last, right fielder of the future Braden Montgomery has arrived.

The final piece of the Garrett Crochet trade, possibly the highest-ceiling bat in that four-player return, who had yet to play a professional game when the deal went down still less than two years ago, is batting sixth and should settle into an everyday role.

"We're not going to call him up here and sit him on the bench," said Will Venable. "It's fair to say that he's been more productive over his career from the left side of the plate, but he's more than adequate on the right side as well. So I think we do view him as an everyday guy. If there's times because of a certain matchup that we want to get him a day, just like every other guy, we'll do it."

Time is short and we have a lot to get through, so hopefully Montgomery can distill his whole indefatigable ethos into a single quote.

"I try my best to contribute to winning in all facets," Montgomery said. "Never the same player. I'm looking to move the needle in all facets of my game each day. So that's what I aspire to do. I'm not the same player week to week, month to month, and hopefully, definitely not year to year."

That'll do it.

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Even with Montgomery manning right field rather than the recently optioned Rikuu Nishida, the Sox offense still feels well short of full strength. Namely, there's the absence of Colson Montgomery, sitting against a right-hander after an off day, due to what Chris Getz eventually revealed was back tightness.

"He and a number of these guys are in spots where they're kind of feeling it," Venable said. "Just want to give him another day after the off day, so just day to day. Give him the day today and see where he's at tomorrow."

That's probably still more clarity than the White Sox offered on their jumbled rotation, which they explained will remain jumbled as they assess how much extra rest they will trying to be offer to everyone, and figure out how they replace David Sandlin, the starting pitcher they just optioned.

"It’s probably going to be that way for the next week or so," Getz said of all the TBA's in the Sox pitching schedule, but downplaying the idea that Davis Martin or anyone else is hurt. "It’s a little bit of a break. Trying to find the appropriate amount of rest to avoid a lack of production or potential lingering issue. Part of navigating the entirety [of the season]."

Could Hagen Smith get called up? That possibility wasn't dismissed at all. Could a boring bullpen game be a solution? That's also very much on the board. Joe Rock, who is just a year removed from leading the Rays farm system in innings (139 2/3 in 2024) was recalled, but was told he'll be available in the bullpen Tuesday night.

"Whatever they need me for, I'll be here to do," Rock said. "I've been getting stretched out, so just trying to hit my pitch count, to be honest with you. But for me personally, it's just been getting in the zone with all my pitches early, and I know I'm gonna be able to get guys out. I've shown that."

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VAGUE INJURY UPDATE LIGHTNING ROUND:

⚙️ Noah Schultz played catch on Tuesday, and depending on how it went, will have a bullpen scheduled or continue playing catch as he builds back up from his right knee tendinitis. It seems safe to say he's not a potential solution for the rotation during this homestand.

⚙️ Munetaka Murakami is "doing really well," per Getz, but a week and a half after going down with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, nothing has happened to adjust his 4-6 week recovery timeline, good or bad.

⚙️ Kyle Teel has graduated to doing catching drills with full squatting and making quick cuts in his running progression, two things he wasn't quite up to doing last week in his recovery from his sprained right knee.

"It’s trending in the right direction," Getz said. "We hopefully can send him out on a rehab sooner rather than later."

⚙️ Drew Thorpe has recovered from appendicitis, but his throwing was shut down during the process and his timeline is unclear. Shane Smith is also building back up from his rotator cuff soreness but shouldn't be expected to be an option before the All-Star break.

⚙️ Two separate attempts to ramp up Austin Hays from his left calf strain have run aground, so the main update on him after a 60-day IL placement is that he's not ramping up for now, nor particularly soon.

"He's not recovering great right now so he's going to need more time," Getz said. "I don't know what the timeframe is at this point, so more than anything we're trying to pinpoint what's causing this."

Everson Pereira is playing again for Triple-A Charlotte Tuesday night, so that's probably the right-handed outfield help to focus on for now.

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Brandon Eisert is opening for Erick Fedde, lest we forget.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Braves

TV: CHSN

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