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Will Venable named Sporting News American League Manager of the Year after White Sox turnaround
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Oct 22, 12:06 PM EDT

Will Venable named Sporting News American League Manager of the Year after White Sox turnaround

The Chicago skipper, in his second season, was honored by Sporting News for guiding the White Sox to a postseason berth and a dramatic improvement in the AL.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

White Sox manager Will Venable was named Sporting News American League Manager of the Year, with the award voted on by peers. The honor recognizes a 2026 season that lifted Chicago into the AL postseason in Venable’s second year as manager.

Chicago finished 84-78 and clinched a berth in the American League playoffs in 2026. Venable’s White Sox reached the postseason for the 12th time in franchise history, their first trip since 2021.

The improvement was steep and sustained. After winning 41 games in 2024, the White Sox moved to 60 wins in Venable’s first season, then to 84 in 2026, including a major push after a 6-13 start. From April 17 through the end of the regular season, Chicago went 78-65, the fourth-best record in the AL behind Tampa Bay, New York, and Boston.

The White Sox also made history with their climb. They became the first team in MLB history to reach the postseason after losing 100-plus games in each of the two previous seasons. Their 19-plus win improvement in back-to-back years was also rare, with Venable becoming just the third MLB manager since 1901 to oversee a 19-plus win gain in consecutive seasons in non-strike, non-COVID campaigns.

In the club’s postseason run, Chicago swept Houston in the AL Wild Card Series before falling to Cleveland in five games in the AL Division Series.

The Sporting News AL Manager of the Year award adds to a growing list of White Sox managerial recipients, joining Ozzie Guillen (2005), Jerry Manuel (2000), Jeff Torborg (1990), Tony La Russa (1983), and Chuck Tanner (1972).

Why It Matters

  • Managerial awards in MLB often reflect more than single-game decisions, and this one spotlights Chicago’s season-long turnaround.
  • The White Sox’s run put them among a small group of teams to bounce back immediately from consecutive 100-loss seasons.
  • Venable’s consecutive double-digit win gains also place him in a historical category of managers who improved their teams dramatically two years in a row.
  • Chicago’s postseason advancement means the organizational direction under Venable has moved from rebuilding to competing, at least for the 2026 season.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Will Venable was named Sporting News American League Manager of the Year, voted by peers.
  • The honor followed a 2026 season in which the White Sox went 84-78 and reached the AL playoffs.
  • Chicago improved from 41 wins in 2024 to 60 wins in 2025 to 84 wins in 2026 under Venable.
  • After a 6-13 start, the White Sox went 78-65 from April 17 through season end, ranking fourth in the AL.
  • The White Sox became the first MLB team to make the postseason after losing 100-plus games in each of the prior two seasons.
  • Chicago swept Houston in the AL Wild Card Series before losing to Cleveland in five games in the AL Division Series.