The Chicago White Sox are coming off one of the worst seasons in the history of Major League Baseball, prompting significant changes this offseason for a team still in the early stages of a rebuild. While MLB free agency is days away, the White Sox managerial search is progressing.
Chicago fired manager Pedro Grifol late into the season as he was on pace for a second consecutive 100-loss season. After being replaced when the team was 61 games below the .500 mark, the White Sox finished 13-32 under interim manager Grady Sizemore.
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While Sizemore was well-liked in the clubhouse, he’s not viewed as a serious candidate to keep the job. Instead, a thorough managerial search has brought a mix of experienced skippers along with some up-and-comers to Chicago. As the World Series gets underway, the White Sox seem to be narrowing down their list of candidates to take over next season.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the leading candidates in Chicago are believed to be Texas Rangers bench coach Will Venable, Detroit Tigers bench coach George Lombard and former Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin. The White Sox are also reportedly considering Buck Showalter, but it’s unclear if there’s strong mutual interest.
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Venable, age 41, spent nearly a decade playing in the majors with the Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Shortly after his retirement, he joined the Chicago Cubs coaching staff (2018-’20), followed by a stint with the Boston Red Sox (2021-’22), and then came to Texas ahead of the 2023 season.
Lombard, age 49, played in the majors from 1998-2006 with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals. He became a coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers, working there through the 2020 season, before joining the Tigers’ coaching staff in 2021.
Nevin, age 53, is the only target among the three to have experience as a major-league manager. He went 46-60 in 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels and was fired after the 2023 campaign following a 73-89 mark. Nevin hasn’t been publicly linked to any other managerial vacancies this offseason.
