New White Sox skipper Will Venable was set up for failure in so many ways heading into the 2025 season.
He had no official managerial experience prior to becoming the second-youngest manager in Sox history, second to only Ozzie Guillén in 2003. He inherited a team payroll valued at under $85 million. And, two months before he joined, the organization had endured a life’s worth of humiliation, criticism, and meme-fueled jibes.
With the cards stacked against him, Venable had no choice but to do his job.
And almost a year later, Venable’s impact on the Sox is felt and seen from miles away.
Chase Meidroth, Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel, and, most importantly, Colson Montgomery’s success this season is primarily attributed to Venable. Meidroth, Quero, and Teel have batting averages above .260, and Montgomery is tied for the second-most home runs (18) since the All-Star break. Although each has stumbled at various points while acclimating to the big leagues, they’ve shown perseverance and steady improvement with each passing day. The success of all, not just one, of these rookies’ successes is a testament to Venable’s player development skills.
Under Venable, the Sox have exuberated a grit and persistence that has been lost for a while. After a rocky start to the season and trading away their best pitcher at the time (Adrian Houser), Chicago has been one of the best teams in MLB since the All-Star break. They’ve slashed .266/.326/.443, scored 250 runs, driven in 245 RBIs, and hit 72 home runs.
Knowing that the team had no chance of playing in September, Venable has motivated his players to win even when there’s no incentive. “We’re extremely excited and motivated to finish strong, and part of that is to play spoiler,” Venable said on MLB Network Radio in late August.
You wouldn’t hear Grady Sizemore, Tony La Russa, or any of the late Sox managers share those words. Venable comes to the ballpark to make a statement, and it shows.
Underneath his determination, Venable is patient and positive when times get tough. He believes in the South Siders even when no one else does, and he knows how to build a clubhouse culture that invites players who want to work hard and have fun simultaneously. These are hard qualities to find in a first-time manager, especially for his age, and the players clearly respect him for it.
Now, Chicago is currently on pace to win 65 games, which would be a 24-game improvement from last year. Even if progress over last year seemed inevitable, Venable’s contributions warrant some consideration for AL Manager of the Year. Joe Girardi is the only MLB manager to win the accolade with a losing record (78-84) with the 2006 Marlins. While Toronto’s John Schneider, Seattle’s Scott Servais, and Boston’s Alex Cora are already contenders, Venable’s name should get thrown in if the Sox evade 100 losses this year.
