Just 18 months after the Boston Red Sox included Braden Montgomery in the blockbuster trade for Garrett Crochet, the former first-round draft pick has reached the major leagues while the injured left-hander remains on the sidelines.
The Chicago White Sox call-up of Montgomery was reported Tuesday by MLB.com correspondent Scott Merkin, inserting the 23-year-old outfielder into their roster as they hover around the .500 mark in a competitive American League Central race.
The Red Sox first-round pick, 12th overall, in 2024, Montgomery ranks as the White Sox’s No. 2 prospect, as rated by MLB Pipeline, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds as a switch hitter with a proven track record for power production at every level of the minor leagues. His arrival represents the kind of youth infusion the South Siders desperately need as they attempt to build a new winning culture after two consecutive seasons of historic futility. The White Sox finished with a mere 41 wins in 2024 and went 60-102 last year before rebounding to sit at 32-27 this season, just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the division.
The Crochet Trade and Montgomery’s Path Back
Montgomery was the centerpiece of Chicago’s haul in the Crochet deal that reshaped Boston’s pitching and ended up with the first postseason berth in four years for the Red Sox last season. The Red Sox also sent catcher Kyle Teel, then Boston’s No. 4-ranked prospect and 25th overall in baseball, shortstop Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez to secure the 25-year-old ace. Montgomery had transferred to Texas A&M after starting his college career at Stanford, and he belted 27 home runs in his final college season for the Aggies, drawing the attention of scouts throughout MLB.
The trade represented Boston’s aggressive bet that Crochet’s swing-and-miss stuff could anchor their rotation for years to come. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow had emphasized the team’s commitment to high-velocity pitching with elite strikeout rates, and Crochet fit that profile perfectly. The left-hander’s 33.1% whiff rate ranked in the 93rd percentile of all major league pitchers. Instead, that calculated gamble may have unraveled after just one successful season.
Boston Ace’s Injury Compounds the Irony
Crochet suffered left shoulder inflammation after his sixth start of 2026. He was already posting a career-worst 6.30 ERA and landed on the injured list, forcing Boston into the exact rotation crisis the trade was supposed to solve. The Red Sox moved Crochet to the 60-day injured list on Friday, making him ineligible to return before June 25.
A low-grade lat strain, diagnosed after a setback during his throwing progression in late May, has left his timeline murky and his return date uncertain. The organization had hoped for a quick recovery, but successive setbacks have erased any optimism about an imminent return.
Meanwhile, Montgomery is getting his shot in the majors with Chicago, with even marginal offensive upgrades making a difference in a tight division race. Montgomery’s arrival signals Chicago’s willingness to accelerate its youth timeline and inject talent into a roster searching for answers after years of losing baseball.
Former Red Sox Top Draft Pick Gets MLB Call-Up Amid Garrett Crochet Injury