Baseball’s general managers are meeting in San Antonio next week. White Sox general manager Chris Getz is aiming to make his first managerial hire by then.
Getz and staff have been busy interviewing since the end of the team’s 41-121 finish, casting a wide net as chairman Jerry Reinsdorf promised on the last day of a season that saw the Sox set the modern-day record for losses under Pedro Grifol (28-89) and interim Grady Sizemore (13-32).
At least 10 names have been connected to the job per the Sun-Times and various reports, including Sizemore, Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso, Rangers bench coach Donnie Ecker, Padres special assistant A.J. Ellis, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, former Angels manager Phil Nevin, former Orioles, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Yankees and Mets manager Buck Showalter, former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker and Rangers associate manager Will Venable.
McCullough, who is two wins away from getting a World Series ring, and Ellis are no longer in the running, per an ESPN report Sunday, and Ecker reportedly is off the list, too.
Lombard, Venable and Nevin are widely regarded as strong candidates, assuming Schumaker is waiting for a better offer.
“Our organization’s most important decision in the coming months is to evaluate and identify a new manager and leadership voice for this organization,” Reinsdorf said on Sept. 29. “Chris is well underway with this search. He has identified the key attributes and preferences for our next manager and has already begun an exhaustive search with a wide range of candidates to lead the White Sox in the clubhouse and dugout.”
When Grifol was fired in early August, Getz said the new manager would come from outside the organization. Sizemore, who was promoted in his first year as a major league coach, showed enough leadership skill and was endorsed by players despite the continued losing, allowing Getz to say Sizemore, 42, is a candidate.
With 222 losses in the last two seasons, and as Reinsdorf plans to trim payroll again against the backdrop of having discussions about possibly selling the team to a group led by Dave Stewart – the depth of which are not known – while seeking to get a new ballpark, the Sox have plenty of issues swirling around the organization.
What’s known for certain is the Sox have a significant rebuilding task in front of them, no alluring circumstance for a proven manager such as Schumaker, the National League manager of the year in 2023. Terry Francona came out of a short absence from managing the Guardians to take the Reds job, leaving only the Sox’ and Schumaker’s vacated job in Miami as the only ones open at the moment.
Teams often wait till after the World Series is complete to announce news of this magnitude. With the Dodgers leading the Yankees 2-0 as the series shifts to New York Monday, it could be over as soon as Tuesday. A Game 7 would be Saturday.
While this will be Getz’ first hire, as assistant GM to Rick Hahn he was instrumental in hiring Grifol before the 2023 season, having a strong connection when Getz and Grifol were in Kansas City Royals organization.