The White Sox dismissed manager Pedro Grifol and appointed Grady Sizemore as the interim manager on Thursday.
The Chicago White Sox decided to fire manager Pedro Grifol on Thursday, following a historically poor season in which the team tied the American League record with 21 consecutive losses. Former Cleveland star Grady Sizemore has been appointed as the interim manager, but the team is expected to search for a permanent manager in the upcoming offseason.
According to MLB Network insider Jon Morosi, Toronto Blue Jays associate manager DeMarlo Hale has emerged as a candidate for the White Sox managerial position. Before taking on his current role with the Blue Jays, Hale was the bench coach for the Cleveland Guardians from 2020-23, and he served as acting manager in 2021 when Terry Francona stepped down due to health issues. Hale has a long history in coaching, including a stint as the Blue Jays’ bench coach from 2013-2018, and he was part of the Boston Red Sox’s 2007 World Series-winning staff as their third base coach.
Morosi also highlighted that Hale is a native of Chicago, which could make a potential return to his hometown an even more compelling possibility for the veteran coach.
White Sox set for significant rebuild
The White Sox are expected to undergo a complete rebuild in the upcoming offseason. Despite making some trades at the deadline, such as sending starting pitcher Erick Fedde to the St. Louis Cardinals and outfielder Eloy Jimenez to the Baltimore Orioles, they were unable to fully reset due to the inability to trade ace Garrett Crochet.
A key part of this rebuild will involve finding a new manager. While it’s unfair to place all the blame for the team’s numerous struggles this season on Grifol, a change is clearly necessary. Making the right managerial choice will be crucial for general manager Chris Getz, who is early in his tenure with the White Sox.
Getz needs to get this decision right, whether he opts for Hale, an experienced baseball veteran with strong Chicago ties, one of the current managers likely to be dismissed at the end of the season, or a younger former player. The White Sox have underperformed since winning the AL Central in 2021, despite having a talented, young roster. The franchise is too significant to continue enduring 100+ loss seasons.
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