The Chicago White Sox fired manager Pedro Grifol on Thursday, during the franchise’s worst season in history. The White Sox, who are 28-89, stopped a 21-game losing run on Tuesday and will begin the search for their third permanent manager since the 2022 season just days later.
Grifol was let go less than two years after Chicago hired him for what turned out to be a thankless position. When Grifol was named captain, the organization was on a downward spiral and was at its lowest point when he was fired. With the fanbase eager for a new owner, the White Sox management vacancy is unlikely to be filled quickly. Still, there’s a sense of accomplishment in managing a major league baseball team, and the opportunity to lead Chicago out of the basement may appeal to a contender.
The White Sox face a protracted reconstruction, a far cry from their 93-win season in 2021. There is potential on the roster, but it would probably make more sense to sell the remainder of their players and develop prospect capital with the goal of competing in four or five years. If fans believe 2024 is ugly, the future on Chicago’s South Side does not appear to be very bright.
Chris Getz, the White Sox’s general manager, is making his first attempt at hiring a manager. He has various options, but it is usually a good idea for a rebuilding team to appoint a first-time MLB manager. While several of those individuals will be interviewed, there are coaches with big-league management experience who are poised to compete for the White Sox position.
Reigning manager of the year takes a new job?
Our list begins with Skip Schumaker, the Miami Marlins’ manager, who could be the best managerial candidate available next offseason. Schumaker is scheduled to quit his position at South Beach after the 2025 option in his contract was canceled prior to the season.
Schumaker was hired by Kim Ng in 2022 and won National League Manager of the Year in his first season, leading the Marlins to the playoffs in 2023. This season has not gone as planned, and following Ng’s departure, Schumaker requested the option to become a free agent at the end of the season.
The Marlins are chasing the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in the NL, and they dealt a slew of players last month to bolster the farm system and fill voids on the major league roster. Schumaker has a small chance of returning as the new leadership takes a different tack this winter.
Schumaker will be in high demand, and a team with more to offer than the White Sox will most likely rank higher on his list of preferred landing locations. The White Sox should still consider offering him the post, but they will need to make a substantial offer to win his signature.
Skip Schumaker is an ideal candidate for this post. He would be the ideal manager to lead the White Sox through this rebuild, and he would be given the leash of a few terrible seasons to be ready for the competing years.
Cubs World Series winner relocates to the South Side.
Chicago Cubs manager David Ross watches from the bench in the eighth inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
David Ross was a well-respected athlete who appeared to be well-received by his teammates when serving as manager of the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately for Ross, the Cubs did not win many games while he was in command, and the first-time skipper was fired after four seasons. Ross was upset at being let go and is a strong possibility for numerous interviews this winter.
Ross, who has been playing baseball his entire life, spent 15 seasons in the Major Leagues and won two World Series. He appeared in 25 playoff games and homered in his final game, Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. Few in baseball have seen what Ross has, and he could be just what the White Sox need to climb out of their funk.
David Ross is not a first-time manager and has no ties to the White Sox, but he will most likely receive another managerial position and could land one this season. He is familiar with Chicago, having spent six years as a player and manager with the Cubs.
According to Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, Chris Getz is close to Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. He indicated that Hoyer may give Ross a vote of confidence on Getz. If the White Sox hire Ross, he will become only the third person to manage both Chicago teams.
Chicago offers Astros coach first managerial position.
Baseball is a family sport, and there are numerous success stories involving multi-generational figures who have made their mark on the sport’s history. While most people think of players, there is a coaching lineage in Major League Baseball that might lead to a father and son managing together.
Troy Snitker, son of Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, has coached in the major leagues for more than five years and has previously applied for managing positions. He was one of the top candidates for the Cleveland Guardians job last year. Could he get into the dugout of another AL Central team?
Snitker comes from a winning organization, the Houston Astros, and has managed one of the league’s most prolific offenses for six years. He has the makings of a major league manager, and he matches the White Sox’s criteria: a young but seasoned coach with a strong background.
The White Sox are apparently looking to hire outside of the organization. They should start their search in Houston and at least invite the Astros’ hitting coach to an interview after the season. If they don’t, Troy Snitker may land his first MLB managing position in another clubhouse.
A familiar face has returned to the White Sox dugout.
Ozzie Guillen (13), manager of the Chicago White Sox, before the game versus the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Things tend to remain constant while they change. It would be poetic to see Ozzie Guillen return in a White Sox uniform nearly 15 years after his final season as manager. Guillen has not managed in the Major League Baseball since 2012, although he stays active in the game and is popular among White Sox fans.
The World Series-winning manager works for the White Sox as a television studio analyst and has been known to provide some memorable statements during this terrible season. Guillen has hinted at wanting to manage the White Sox again, and he made a joke regarding Pedro Grifol earlier this week.
“I don’t think I was that bad a manager, but they chose Pedro ahead of me,” Guillen told The Athletic.
It’s unclear whether Guillen had a chance of getting employed in 2022, but it makes sense to bring him back. Despite his disagreements with the organization over the previous decade or so, Guillen’s devotion to the White Sox has never wavered.
Ozzie Guillen’s patience may be better suited to a winning team, but he could make a terrific bridge manager to take the White Sox through some difficult years. At the very least, the 60-year-old would attract some fans who were considering quitting their season ticket package. There’s a chance he still has that kind of clout in Chicago, and the White Sox may need a boost of publicity next season.
