Boston Red Sox bench coach Will Venable (86) talks to the media as the Red Sox take on the Rangers at Fenway on August 20, 2021 in , BOSTON, MA. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox officially announced Will Venable as the club's new manager Thursday.
Venable is the 44th manager in franchise history. The 42-year-old spent the past two seasons as an associate manager for the Texas Rangers.
"This is a great opportunity with a White Sox organization that is putting a lot of good things into place and laying a solid foundation for the future," Venable said in a statement. "It’s exciting to be part of that process to help get back to the type of baseball White Sox fans are used to seeing. We want players who show up to work hard every day, but also smart baseball players who understand the nuances of the game. There is a rich tradition here and a fan base that deserves winning baseball, and I am excited to do whatever I can to help."
Venable's resume
Venable has been in the Major Leagues since 2008 when he entered the league as a player. Spanning a nine-year career, Venable has suited up for the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers.
As a player, Venable was a career .249 hitter and finished his playing career with 81 home runs, 307 RBI and 135 stolen bases.
But, the impressive parts of his resume come from his coaching experience.
Venable coached under Joe Maddon, Alex Cora and Bruce Bouchy. He's no stranger to Chicago; his first coaching experiences came in the Windy City.
In 2017, Venable was named a special assistant to Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein. In 2018 and 2019, Venable served as the Cubs' first base coach. He was moved to third-base coach for the 2020 season.
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In the 2021 season, Venable served as the Boston Red Sox's bench coach. On May 29, 2021, Venable managed his first MLB game, when Red Sox manager Alex Cora traveled to Puerto Rico to attend one of his children's high school graduations. The Red Sox won, beating the Miami Marlins 3–1.
Under Bouchy, Venable helped the Rangers win the World Series in 2023. This may be his first full-time managing job, but Venable has been preparing for this moment for years.
Venable turned down a chance to interview with the Mets in 2023. The New York Post reported Venable had discussions with the Mets, but turned down a candidacy for the job because he had already decided he would be staying in Texas for the 2024 season.
That candidacy carried over into this offseason, where Venable was a finalist for the Miami Marlins' manager vacancy.
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The White Sox wanted Venable and got him. That's an offseason win for the White Sox, who can pair Venable with Getz and assistant general manager Josh Barfield.
Interim manager Grady Sizemore was also one of the White Sox's finalists, and he'll also work with Venable this season. Sizemore remains under contract with the White Sox, who were open about how much they valued Sizemore's voice and the respect he gained from the players this past season.