The Chicago White Sox have hired Texas Rangers coach Will Venable as their new manager, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
Venable, who turned 42 on Tuesday, played nine big league seasons (2008-16) and was the associate manager to Bruce Bochy with the Texas Rangers.
Rangers bench coach Donnie Ecker was under consideration, as were Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, Padres special assistant A.J. Ellis, Tigers bench coach George Lombard, former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore, former Angels manager Phil Nevin, Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, and St. Louis Cardinals coach Descalso.
Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images
The White Sox set a modern-era record with 121 losses in 2024. Chicago fired manager Pedro Grifol at midseason and replaced him with Sizemore on an interim basis.
The team projects to carry a payroll less than $70 million in 2025, and is not expected to spend in free agency to fill the gaps apparent on their uncompetitive roster. That was true even before owner Jerry Reinsdorf began exploring a sale of the team.
Teams that are for sale have historically lowered expenses during that process. It’s possible Reinsdorf limited his search to first-time candidates if only to save money.
he American League Central sent three teams — the Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, and Kansas City Royals — to the postseason in 2024. All three clubs could conceivably improve next year, which is bad news for the White Sox.
The good news? Their new manager has a lower bar for success to clear than perhaps any manager in history.
More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.