Will Venable is the new manager of the White Sox

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have hired Will Venable to take over as manager, turning to the former major league outfielder to help rebuild the team after an unsuccessful season.

Two people with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed the choice to The Associated Press on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the franchise had not announced the decision.

Venable, who turned 42 on Tuesday, replaces incumbent Pedro Grifola released in August with the White Sox on their way to breaking the modern major league record for most losses in a season. With Grady Sizemore serving as interim manager, the club finished with a record of 41-121.

Venable served as Alex Cora’s bench coach for the Red Sox during the 2021-22 season, following Cora’s one-year hiatus amid the Houston sign-stealing scandal. (Venable was one of the people interviewed for the manager position before Cora was rehired). Venable departed in November 2022 and has been an assistant manager at Texas for the past two years. As part of his duties with the Rangers team that won the 2023 World Series, he handled daily on-field activities and instruction.

Venable played baseball and basketball while studying anthropology at Princeton. He competed throughout the Ivy League in every sport.

He was selected by San Diego in the seventh round of the 2005 amateur draft. The outfielder played for the Padres, Rangers and Dodgers over nine years in the major leagues, hitting .249 with 81 runs scored, 307 RBI and 135 steals in 967 regular-season games.

Following his playing career, Venable joined the Cubs front office in September 2017 as a special assistant for baseball operations. He also was a member of the team’s major league staff for three years, spending two seasons as first base coach and one as third base coach.

Venable comes from a sports family. His father, Max, played 12 seasons in the major leagues and was also a minor league manager and coach. Will’s brother, Winston, played college football at Boise State and appeared in 12 games with the Chicago Bears during the 2011 season.