GLENDALE, Ariz. — Not long after shortstop Colson Montgomery was scratched from the lineup with Thursday with back spasms, the White Sox suffered an even greater, more immediate injury, losing outfielder Andrew Benintendi for four to six weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.
Benintendi will miss 4-6 weeks with a non-displaced fracture suffered during the first inning of the Sox’ Cactus League game against the Guardians at Camelback Ranch when he was hit on the hand by a pitch from Guardians left-hander Logan Allen. The injury will not require surgery.
Benintendi broke the hamate bone in his right hand in 2022 and after signing a five-year, $75 million contract with the Sox the next offseason – the richest in franchise history – he played with soreness for much of 2024.
The team said Montgomery was scratched for “precautionary reasons” and that he is day-to-day.
Montgomery, who has not played in the majors, is positioned to win a starting job out of spring training. He homered in his first game of the spring and has handled the position without incident.
Through a Sox spokesperson, Montgomery said he is fine and has “zero concern” about his back. He felt something on a swing during batting practice and is erring on the side of caution this early in camp, the Sox said.
But the Sox’ first-round draft choice in 2021 dealt with an oblique strain during spring training 2023 and then started the season on the injured list with a back strain, so anything back related raises at least minor levels of concern for Montgomery, who turned 23 Thursday. Between the Arizona Complex League, Advanced-A Winston-Salem and Double A Birmingham, he was limited to 64 games in 2023.
In 2024, Montgomery batted .214/.329/.381 in 130 games for Triple-A Charlotte, a season defined by offensive struggles but a better finish followed by a good showing in the Arizona Fall League.
“Colson is a big part of our future without question,” general manager Chris Getz said last week. “You look at what he’s capable of doing on both sides of the ball. The presence that he has, leadership qualities, but most importantly we want him to have a healthy and productive six-month season.”
Benintendi, the team’s primary left fielder, will miss the rest of spring training and won’t be ready for Opening Day March 27 against the Angels. After not living up to his contract his first two seasons, Benintendi came to camp on a good note after hitting .263/.328/.502 with 13 homers and 13 RBI after the All-Star break. He attributed a rediscovered toe tap to the resurgence after he hit .201/.258/.311 with seven home runs and 26 RBI over his first 75 games.
The Sox have outfielders Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman, Austin Slater, Michael A. Taylor Dominic Fletcher, Oscar Colas and Benintendi on the 40-man roster. Non-roster invite Joey Gallo is a first baseman/outfielder.
So far, so good
First-year manager Will Venable, talking before the Sox announced that Montgomery was scratched, noted Montgomery’s improved pre-pitch techniques at shortstop and his “sense of urgency and the pace of the game.”
“He’s practicing at a high level and I think it’s paying off on the field,” Venable said.
Some view Montgomery, who is 6-3, as a future third baseman, but Venable said “he’s a shortstop” and Montgomery is determined to stay there.
“And we are focused on him being a good shortstop for us now,” Venable said, “and the things he needs to do to perform at a high level. We are really just focused on making sure we are communicating those things and he understands those things and going out and training those things.”