Happy birthday to Will Venable, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on Tuesday during the World Series’ Game 4.
Reports indicate that the Chicago White Sox have finalized plans to bring Venable on board, following his two seasons as the associate manager for the Texas Rangers under Bruce Bochy.
This marks Venable’s first time as a manager, having last played in the major leagues in 2016. He had interviewed for the White Sox’s managerial position before they ultimately selected Pedro Grifol for the 2023 season.
Venable will be taking charge of a struggling White Sox team, which ended the 2024 season with a record of 41-121, the worst in the history of Major League Baseball’s modern era. This surpasses the previous record held by the 1962 New York Mets, who lost 120 games in their first season.
In August, the White Sox dismissed Grifol after he led the team to a 61-101 record in his inaugural season. The team continued to struggle in the 2024 season, including a 21-game losing streak, which ultimately led to Grifol’s departure. Grady Sizemore took over as the interim manager for the remainder of the season.