White Sox No. 4 prospect Montgomery sits with back spasms

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Shortstop Colson Montgomery was scratched from the White Sox starting lineup Thursday because of back spasms. The move was made for precautionary reasons, and he is listed as day-to-day.

Montgomery, who turned 23 years old on Thursday, homered in his first 2025 Cactus League game Saturday against the Cubs at Sloan Park. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as baseball¡¯s No. 39 prospect overall and the White Sox No. 4, Montgomery is competing for the starting job at shortstop.

Through the White Sox, Montgomery said he was good and had zero concern. He felt a little something on one of his swings in batting practice and erred on the side of caution this early in Spring Training.

Montgomery dealt with a back injury near the end of Spring Training in 2023, keeping him out of action until June 19 of that season. But he played fully healthy throughout 2024 in his first year with Triple-A Charlotte.

¡°We are focused on him being a good shortstop for us now and the things he needs to do to perform at a high level,¡± White Sox manager Will Venable said before Montgomery was announced as a scratch. ¡°We are really just focused on those things and kind of making sure we are communicating those things and he understands those things and going out and training those things.¡±

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After a 4-2 victory over the Guardians on Thursday, marking Venable¡¯s first win as White Sox manager, Venable indicated Montgomery would be out for a couple of days to let him cool down. Then the White Sox will see where he¡¯s at

¡°Precautionary,¡± Venable said. ¡°We want to be sensitive to the back and any injury, and we'll give him the time he needs to get back and healthy."