Chicago White Sox Ushers in New Leadership with Will Venable

In a pivotal move for the Chicago White Sox, the team has confirmed the appointment of Will Venable, formerly of the Texas Rangers, as their latest manager. The announcement was first made public on a Tuesday evening and has been met with considerable anticipation.

Will Venable: From Player to Manager

At 42, Venable brings to the role a wealth of experience, both on and off the field. He spent nine years as a professional player in the MLB before segueing into a more strategic role. In 2017, after ending his playing career, he joined the Chicago Cubs’ ranks as a special assistant, later serving as a base coach between 2018 and 2020.

Venable then moved on to serve as the bench coach for Boston in 2021 and subsequently joined the Texas Rangers, where he has been enhancing his managerial skills under Bruce Bochy for the last two seasons.

Looking Back at Venable’s Playing Career

Before transitioning to his managerial role, Venable had a noteworthy playing career primarily with the San Diego Padres, before being traded to the Rangers in 2015. He had a brief stint with the Dodgers in 2016 before calling time on his playing career. Throughout his 967 games, Venable, an outfielder, posted a .249 batting average and hit 81 home runs.

Venable Steps Into a Challenging Situation

Venable is poised to fill the shoes of interim manager Grady Sizemore after the White Sox released previous manager Pedro Grifol in August, following a record-breaking 121 losses in the season. The team has been grappling with a downward trend since their division victory in 2021.

The disappointing performance in the 2022 season, marked by 101 losses, led to the dismissal of general manager Rick Hahn and team president Kenny Williams. The franchise saw a shift in leadership when former White Sox player Chris Getz was brought onboard by owner Jerry Reinsdorf to steer the team’s baseball department.

A Fresh Start for The White Sox

Over the past year, Getz has reshaped the front office and now has appointed his first manager, Venable, who is widely respected as a seasoned player and coach. Venable makes history as the 42nd manager in the franchise’s legacy.

The decision to appoint Venable was made after considering a pool of candidates, including Guardians’ bench coach Craig Albernaz, Dodgers’ first-base coach Clayton McCollough, Padres’ special assistant A.J. Ellis, and Sizemore, who had developed a strong rapport with players during his interim stint.

An official announcement of Venable’s appointment is expected before the GM meetings, commencing next Tuesday.