The Chicago White Sox, currently one of the worst teams in MLB history, have fired manager Pedro Grifol. Grifol, who previously coached for the Kansas City Royals, lasted just over a season and a half in Chicago. Now, the search is on for the team’s 43rd manager.
Losing his job is tough for Grifol, but that’s how it goes in big-league baseball: you get praised for wins and blamed for losses. Here are five potential candidates who might step into the role next.
Skip Schumaker’s second season with the Marlins hasn’t been great compared to last year’s surprising playoff run. Despite this, he could be an intriguing option as he has won 45.8% of his games so far. The question remains if he wants to manage another young team or if he’ll even have a choice.
Fans might think it’s time for fresh blood or someone with more experience.
Grady Sizemore
Initially, Charlie Montoyo was considered but got fired too, making way for Sizemore as interim skipper. Given that the White Sox often stick with internal candidates (like promoting Getz to GM), Sizemore could stay on longer than expected.
Fredi González
Baseball teams often copy successful ones by hiring from winning clubs. González fits this mold well; he’s managed big-league teams before and has been interviewing since leaving the Braves in 2016. He might not excite fans much but has solid credentials. Other similar names include Jayce Tingler from the Twins and Brad Ausmus from the Yankees.
Rickie Weeks Jr.
Another approach is hiring fresh faces like Rickie Weeks Jr., who’s been helping Pat Murphy with the Brewers this season. Weeks has shown he knows how to get results from a roster but may not be ready yet or might prefer staying with Milwaukee. If not him, other young coaches like Craig Albernaz from the Guardians or Danny Lehmann from Dodgers could be options.
Ozzie Guillén
Guillén managed the White Sox before and won over 52% of his games between 2004-11, including a World Series win in 2005. Though his last stint with Marlins in 2012 didn’t go well, he’s remained close to baseball through TV work and specifically connected to the White Sox. His name will likely come up because he’ll mention it himself—remember Tony La Russa’s return?
Who do you think should lead next?
