Will Venable walked into a mess in Chicago, and by the end of two seasons he had the White Sox winning in a way that nobody could ignore.
That’s why the 43-year-old was named Sporting News AL Manager of the year, a recognition that came after one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent team history. Venable inherited a club that had just gone 41-121 in 2024, then guided the White Sox to a 2025 finish that showed the first signs of life before everything came together in 2026.
The early results were still rough. Chicago opened the 2026 campaign 6-13, but from there the White Sox ripped off a 78-65 stretch and finished with 84 wins.
That total stood out on a league-wide scale: it was the most wins in MLB history by a team coming off three straight 100-loss seasons. Chicago also became only the third team in MLB history to make the postseason after a 100-loss year.
For a franchise that had reached the playoffs only 12 times in its history, it was a major line on the ledger. It also nearly doubled the win total from the season before Venable arrived.
The shift started with the way Venable shaped the clubhouse from the jump in Spring Training. He pushed the importance of the little things and preached winning in different ways, but he also gave his players room to be themselves.
That mix helped keep the dugout loose and energetic, even through the grind of the season. Just as important, the White Sox clearly bought in.
No matter the score, they kept pressing, running hard and refusing to hand away outs - the kind of detail that wasn’t always there on Chicago’s last playoff team in 2021.
Venable’s style wasn’t always easy to watch from the outside. Throughout the 2026 season, his heavy use of openers and constant matchup-based moves gave frustrated fans plenty to gripe about.
But the roster he had was still incomplete, even if it was much better than the one before it. His bullpen management, platoons and willingness to chase favorable situations helped cover for weak spots in the team.
The numbers back that up. Venable ranked third in MLB in pinch hitters used per game and fourth in pinch runners, a clear sign of how aggressively he managed from game to game.
Even after a disappointing trade deadline, he kept finding answers for a rotation that lacked depth. That approach helped carry the White Sox through a sweep of Houston in the Wild Card Series and all the way to the brink against Cleveland in the ALDS, where Chicago’s season ended in five games.
His fingerprints were all over the Wild Card Series. In Game 1, Venable leaned on an opener plan that helped keep Houston’s offense in check, with four relievers combining on just four hits in a 6-3 win while Yordan Alvarez went 1-for-8 in the series. He also pressed the right buttons late, bringing in Brenton Doyle for defense in the outfield and manufacturing runs in Game 2 with a seventh-inning bunt and an aggressive double steal that set up Chase Meidroth’s decisive three-run homer.
Venable is now the sixth White Sox manager to win the award, and the first since Ozzie Guillén in 2005.
In Other News...
White Sox Offseason Plan Pushes A Real Win Now Commitment
The White Sox do not need a splashy winter to make their point, but they do need one that looks more like a club finally acting with purpose. A proposed offseason blueprint for Chicago calls for a modest payroll increase, smarter roster management and a stronger emphasis on development, especially on the pitching side, where the organization still has work to do in turning starters into reliable big league pieces. It also lays out a more practical approach to the roster, with decisions on tenders, free-agent additions and possible extensions all tied to the same idea: spend enough to help now, but keep the long view in sight.
Miguel Vargas and Sean Newcomb are among the names in that mix, underscoring how much of this winter could hinge on the margins rather than headline-grabbing moves. The larger message, though, is that Chicago is being urged to make actual baseball decisions instead of waiting for the next big reset, and that means sorting through a few familiar faces and deciding which ones still fit the next version of the team. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Lineup Debate Comes Down To One October Problem
The White Soxs October unraveling put an old problem back in the spotlight: the offense could score in bursts, but it too often stalled when the game asked for one clean swing in a big spot. Chicagos production with runners in scoring position lagged behind more efficient clubs such as the Brewers and Rays, and the underlying issue went beyond missed chances. The lineup simply struck out too much in the situations that matter most, a flaw that can swallow an entire playoff series before a team has time to correct it.
For a club trying to turn the page, the answer may not be one quick fix but a broader shift toward a more balanced attack. Player development will have to do some of that work, and the front office will likely keep looking at ways to add more contact and stability through free agency. The White Sox know what the problem looks like in October now, and the next step is finding hitters who can make the game smaller when the bases are crowded. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Face A Tricky Offseason Decision Fans Will Feel
The White Sox finished 2026 with a bullpen that looked like a real strength and Sean Burke emerging as the clubs primary starter, but the rotation picture beyond him is where the winter gets complicated. Chicago has young pitching in the system and plans to supplement it from outside, which makes the front offices next move feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity as it tries to turn a promising group into something dependable.
The trickier layer is on the position-player side, where the organizations top shortstop prospects Roch Cholowsky and Billy Carlson are not expected to force their way to the majors there next season. Caleb Bonemers move to the outfield could speed his path, while William Bergolla Jr. remains a name to watch after missing the 2026 season with an injury, leaving the Sox to balance patience, fit and timing in a way fans will be watching closely all winter. [Read more 🡒]