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For the most part, the Chicago White Sox have enjoyed a resurgent 2026 season. But it hasn't all been perfect.
The White Sox are heading back to the postseason, with Miguel Vargas, Sean Burke and Davis Martin all breaking out. Another young star has also emerged in Chicago's infield: Colson Montgomery, who has topped 30 home runs and 85 RBIs in his second MLB season.
When Montgomery hasn't been slugging, however, he's had a historic level of struggles at the plate. The 24-year-old hasn't just been hovering around the Mendoza Line — he's now set a new MLB single-season record for strikeouts.
Here's how Montgomery set a new all-time mark for single-season strikeouts.
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Most strikeouts in one MLB season by hitter
For 17 years, Mark Reynolds has stood alone for a record no hitter wants to hold. But now, he's passed his all-time single-season strikeout record to another slugger.
In 2009 with the Diamondbacks, Reynolds set the new mark for single-season strikeouts, sent back to the bench a total of 223 times over 155 games played and 578 at-bats. He was only surpassing his own 2008 record at the time, striking out 204 times the year prior.
Reynolds' 2009 season — a combination of massive power (44 HRs, 102 RBIs) and strikeouts (223) — wound up being a sign of where baseball was heading. Over the decade-plus since, a collection of hitters have joined him in the 200-strikeout club, including Adam Dunn (222) coming within one strikeout of tying him in 2012, James Wood (221) climbing the list in 2025, and Chris Davis (219) doing the same in 2016.
None of those names, along with Elly De La Cruz, Kyle Schwarber, Joey Gallo and more, never quite reached Reynolds' 223 punchouts. Finally, in 2026, a batter has been good enough to stay in the lineup, but struggled enough with strikeouts to contend for the new record.
Montgomery's 224th strikeout of 2026 arrived on Friday, Sept. 25 when he looked at a third-pitch strike by Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano.
Colson Montgomery just broke the @MLB single season strikeout record with his 224th strikeout!
I don’t really know what he is looking for with a 3-2 count but apparently it wasn’t a 93mph fastball right down the middle.
Mr. Montgomery is now hitting (.199) on the season with a… pic.twitter.com/cnZgRvM3yc
Here's a new look at the list of the most single-season strikeouts by a batter all-time:
| Rank | Player | Team | Season | Games | At Bats | Strikeouts |
| 1 | Colson Montgomery | White Sox | 2026 | 152 | 564 | 225 |
| 2 | Mark Reynolds | Diamondbacks | 2009 | 155 | 578 | 223 |
| 3 | Adam Dunn | White Sox | 2012 | 151 | 539 | 222 |
| 4 | James Wood | Nationals | 2025 | 157 | 598 | 221 |
| 5 | Chris Davis | Orioles | 2016 | 157 | 566 | 219 |
| 6 | Elly De La Cruz | Reds | 2024 | 160 | 618 | 218 |
| Kyle Schwarber | Phillies | 2026 | 152 | 566 | 218 | |
| 8 | Yoan Moncada | White Sox | 2018 | 149 | 578 | 217 |
| 9 | Kyle Schwarber | Phillies | 2023 | 160 | 585 | 215 |
| 10 | Eugenio Suarez | Mariners | 2023 | 162 | 598 | 214 |
Colson Montgomery 2026 stats
- Games: 152
- Hits: 112
- At Bats: 564
- Runs: 71
- Doubles: 24
- Home Runs: 31
- RBIs: 87
- Walks: 54
- Strikeouts: 225
- Average: .199
- OBP: .284
- SLG: .406
- OPS: .690
Montgomery, in his second MLB season, has been one of the league's top slugging shortstops, helping power the White Sox to the postseason.
Outside of his power, however, Montgomery has struggled at the dish, barely hitting above .200 and managing an OPS under .700 despite his impressive slugging numbers.
Now, his 2026 season will go down in a bit of infamy.
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