The Chicago White Sox are on the lookout for new leadership at both the ownership and managerial levels.
As owner Jerry Reinsdorf considers selling the team—potentially to former pitcher and player agent Dave Stewart—the White Sox are also seeking a permanent manager to step in for interim manager Grady Sizemore.
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According to reports from Josh Nelson and James Fegan at Sox Machine, three candidates have surfaced as the search continues to refine: A.J. Ellis, George Lombard, and Skip Schumaker.
Among these three, only Schumaker has experience managing in the majors, having stepped down from his role with the Miami Marlins in September after two seasons. While he led the Marlins to an unexpected Wild Card appearance in his debut season, they struggled in 2024, ending with a 62-100 record.
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Lombard, 49, has past connections to Ellis, whom he coached briefly in 2016 with the Dodgers. After serving as the Dodgers’ first-base coach from 2015 to 2019, Lombard became the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers in 2020. Notably, his son is a prospect with the New York Yankees.
Ellis, 43, currently holds a position in the San Diego Padres’ front office, a role he has occupied since retiring as a player in 2018. Under his watch, the Padres reached the playoffs three times in the last five seasons, marking their most successful stretch ever.
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The White Sox aim to find a manager capable of navigating them out of a disastrous 2024, where they recorded a staggering 121 losses—a modern-era record. Midseason, the team parted ways with manager Pedro Grifol and substituted him with Sizemore.
Looking ahead, the team anticipates a payroll of $67.5 million for 2025 but isn’t expected to spend extensively on free agents to address clear deficiencies within their roster. This reluctance aligns with typical practices for teams in the market for sale, leading to potential budget constraints for a new manager, which could favor first-time candidates like Ellis and Lombard.
Whoever takes the reins will likely face a challenging season ahead, especially with the American League Central being competitive, as evidenced by the Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, and Kansas City Royals all reaching the postseason in 2024.
For the White Sox, the only way seems to be up after their historic struggles; their new manager will have the lowest expectations for success in recent memory.