Report: Chicago White Sox hire Will Venable as new manager

Context: Venable is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who retired in 2016. He's spent the last two seasons as the associate coach to Texas Rangers manager Bruch Bochy and was part of the staff that won the 2023 World Series.

• Venable returns to Chicago after a stint as a base coach with the Cubs from 2018-2020.
• He becomes the 44th manager in Sox history.

Zoom out: This marks the first hire for general manager Chris Getz, who inherited manager Pedro Grifol when Getz took over the team in 2023. Grifol was relieved of managerial duties last August during the record run at futility.

The intrigue: Getz chose Venable over interim coach Grady Sizemore. Sizemore didn't fare any better than Grifol, but players reportedly liked him.

Reality check: Venable will take over a team at the beginning of a massive rebuild with no big plans to attract free agents or shake up the roster.

Yes, but: Chicago still has star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and pitcher Garrett Crochet.

The bottom line: The Sox hope their new manager will help erase the terrible memories of last season.