White Sox name Will Venable as new manager

The search is over.

Rangers assistant manager Will Venable will be named the new captain of the White Sox, sources confirmed to the Sox on the 35th. The highly sought-after coach comes to Chicago after serving as Bruce Bochy's right-hand man for the past two seasons.

Venable, who turns 42 on Tuesday, has served in a variety of roles since retiring after a nine-year big league career. He first joined the Cubs in September 2017 as a special assistant to President Theo Epstein, then served as the team's first base coach from 2018 to 2019 and third base coach in 2020. Venable then left Chicago before the 2021 season and joined the Red Sox. He became Alex Cora's backup coach, where he remained for two years before joining Bochy's team in 2023.

Venable has long been considered one of the league's best up-and-coming manager prospects, particularly in Texas, where Bochy would eventually retire. Even before the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, Venable was linked to other openings but declined interviews with the Mets and Guardians because he was “happy with his situation.” As Bochy told reporters that management was still “pushing” him after the season, Venable finally considered his options and emerged as a finalist in both Chicago and Miami's search.

With the White Sox now having their 44th manager in franchise history, Venable's coaching staff will take shape in the coming days. Interim manager Grady Sizemore, who applied for the full-time position, is expected to remain on the job in some capacity. As we receive confirmation and additional information, we will provide further updates.

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Featured photo: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images