Will Venable Named AL Manager of the Year Finalist
White Sox manager Will Venable earned a place among the three contenders for the American League Manager of the Year award on November 2, after leading Chicago to an 84-win season and a playoff berth.
On November 2, Will Venable was named a finalist for the American League Manager of the Year award after guiding the Chicago White Sox to the postseason in his second season as manager. The team won 84 regular-season games and reached the American League Division Series, where it was eliminated in Game 5 after taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Venable’s other finalists are Kevin Cash, who led the Tampa Bay Rays to the American League’s best record and championship, and Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy. The Red Sox went 77-58 under Tracy after he took over on April 26, and their late-season surge secured a wild-card spot. He later signed a three-year contract.
Chicago’s 2026 win total was 24 higher than the previous season’s. The team had endured three straight seasons with at least 100 losses before Venable led it to the playoffs. Players praised the clubhouse atmosphere during the season, including after the team’s postseason loss.
General manager Chris Getz said he expected the coaching staff to return and described Venable as a manager who understood the importance of the clubhouse. The award is voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America before the playoffs. The winner is scheduled to be announced on November 10, 2026.
Venable could be the seventh White Sox skipper to receive the honor, following Ozzie Guillen, who won it in 2005.