Following the membership’s choice to fireplace supervisor Pedro Grifol midseason, the White Sox have been at work seeking to discover their subsequent long-term skipper whereas interim supervisor Grady Sizemore held down the fort late within the 12 months. A variety of potential candidates have seen their names float by way of the rumor mill this winter, however The New York Publish’s Jon Heyman wrote final evening that the three “main candidates” for the position are former Angels supervisor Phil Nevin, Rangers affiliate supervisor Will Venable, and Tigers bench coach George Lombard.
All three have been beforehand recognized to be within the combine for the membership’s managerial gig, though solely Venable is confirmed to have scheduled an interview among the many trio. Amongst them, Nevin is the one one with earlier expertise on the helm of an MLB dugout as he took over for Joe Maddon as Angels supervisor in June of 2022 and remained within the position by way of the tip of the 2023 season. The Halos posted a paltry 119-149 document beneath Nevin’s steerage, however for a rebuilding membership coming off a 121-loss marketing campaign just like the White Sox staff document could also be much less of an element than Nevin’s dealing with of kids like Reid Detmers, Nolan Schanuel, and Zach Neto.
In the meantime, Venable and Lombard lack managerial expertise on the massive league degree however are each seen as up-and-coming managers of the long run. Venable, particularly, has been a extremely sought-after managerial candidate for years now, although he declined to interview for positions with the Mets and Guardians final winter. Since his massive league profession got here to an finish in 2016, Venable has served as a particular assistant to the entrance workplace, first base coach, and third base coach for the Cubs, bench coach to Pink Sox supervisor Alex Cora, and most not too long ago affiliate supervisor beneath Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy.
Lombard, however, has reportedly already interviewed for the league’s different managerial emptiness in Miami and was beforehand a candidate for the Padres’ managerial gig in 2019 and the highest dugout job with the Tigers in 2020. Whereas each groups finally went in numerous instructions, Detroit was clearly impressed with Lombard as they subsequently employed him to behave as A.J. Hinch’s bench coach, a job he’s held ever since. Previous to his stint with the Tigers, Lombard spent 5 years with the Dodgers as first base coach from 2016-20 following stints with the Pink Sox and Braves in a wide range of minor league roles.
Heyman additionally floats a fourth title within the combine for the managerial gig: veteran supervisor Buck Showalter, who most not too long ago served as skipper of the Mets from 2022 to 2023. Versus his framing of Lombard, Nevin, and Venable as “main candidates” for the position, Heyman suggests the White Sox have merely “thought of” the four-time Supervisor of the 12 months award winner for his or her emptiness within the dugout, leaving it unclear how critical the membership’s curiosity is or if Showalter has truly interviewed for the place. Even so, it appears as if Showalter isn’t inherently towards main a membership that’s unlikely to contend given his curiosity within the Angels’ managerial emptiness final winter earlier than that job finally went to Ron Washington.
In fact, these 4 are removed from the one candidates which were linked to the managerial position in Chicago in latest weeks. Former Marlins supervisor Skip Schumaker and Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough have each been considered potential frontrunners for the job at numerous factors within the offseason, whereas Padres particular assistant A.J. Ellis, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehman, and Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso have additionally seen their names float by way of the rumor mill in reference to the White Sox job because the offseason started.
