Several New Names Linked To White Sox Manager Job

Several new names have reportedly joined the White Sox list of managerial targets.  

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, former Angels manager Phil Nevin, Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso and Rangers bench coach Will Venable have all emerged as managerial targets for the White Sox front office. However, it is yet to be seen if the team has set up interviews with any of them. 

Heyman added that the White Sox have a “long list” of targets. However, until this point, Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough has been one of the only candidates from outside the organization linked to the job, while Buck Showalter has also reportedly been lobbying for a shot at the job. 

Venable is one of the most surprising names on the list. The nine-year MLB veteran turned down an opportunity to manage the Mets and appears to be next in line for the Rangers gig once Bruce Bochy retires. 

Venable spent eight of his nine seasons in the show as an outfielder with the San Diego Padres, before playing 37 games with the Texas Rangers to close out the 2015 season. He appeared in just 12 games with the Dodgers the following season, in what would be his last in the MLB. Venable owned a career .249/.315/.404 slash line with 81 homers,  and 307 RBIs

Upon retirement, Venable served as Alex Cora’s bench coach in Boston before being offered an associate manager role under Bochy. He has held the position for the last two seasons and earned a World Series ring in his first season on the job. 

Descaslo is another former player who played ten years in the MLB, half of which came in a Cardinals uniform. During that stretch, he won a World Series ring with Tony La Russa’s Cardinals in 2011. Descalso also played two seasons with the Diamondbacks and Rockies before spending his final year as a player with the Cubs. The utility infielder hit .235 for his career 48 home runs and 294 RBIs. 

His coaching experience has been limited. Following his retirement in 2021, Descalso worked in the Diamondbacks front office. He moved from the front office to the dugout last offseason when Cardinals manager Oli Marmol offered him an opportunity to serve as his bench coach. 

Nevin is the only candidate of the bunch who has managed a game in the big leagues. He was handed the lineup card after Joe Madden was fired in June of the 2022 season. He was awarded a one-year extension after posting a 46-59 record to close out the season. In 2023 the Angels went 73-89 which was not enough for the Angels front office for another season. He interviewed for the Padres managerial job this offseason but has not been in an MLB dugout since parting ways with the Angels. 

Nevin, like Descalso and Venable, is a former player. During his 12-year MLB career, he was named an All-Star with the Padres in 2001 and finished his career with 208 home runs and 743 RBIs.