PITTSBURGH — White Sox manager Will Venable came into spring training and told the team what his non-negotiables were and about his pedigree, but that was the extent of his speeches this season.
He largely remains the same guy with an even-keel demeanor that sits back and has let the veterans in the clubhouse lead.
The All-Star break is primarily looked at as a reprieve for players to recharge and reflect on the first half, but Venable used the break to self-evaluate his performance. One aspect Venable wants to improve on is monitoring his players’ workload. Venable’s laid-back demeanor belies an intense competitor.
With most of the team’s young prospects on the major-league roster, showing second-half improvement is important for the next step of the Sox’ rebuild. They started strong with their first sweep of the season after Sunday’s 7-2 win, their first sweep since September 2024 and tying their longest winning streak of the season.
Venable knew what he signed up for with the rebuilding franchise, but that doesn’t make the losing any easier. He said he’s in constant communication with the performance group, players, and coaches to be aware of when a player needs a day off and to weigh the risk-reward.
“It’s tricky,” Venable told the Sun-Times. “‘I’m learning more about keeping these guys tapped in and healthy and with energy levels is like a real priority. Sometimes, I was guilty of like, ‘Man, we’re not scoring any runs; we haven’t won in six days, and Vargas [who’s played 96 of 100 games] needs a day off, but I can’t give it to him.’
“Just understanding the compound effect of that and how that could affect him down the road is something that I’m negotiating and dealing with. I was able to recalibrate [during the All-Star break].”
When general manager Chris Getz fired former manager Pedro Grifol, it was paramount that he got the next managerial hire correct. Disconnect grew in the clubhouse last season as losses mounted, culminating in Grifol saying in a May series against the Orioles that his team was “f—ing flat.”
Venable has largely been hands-off in the clubhouse. He leaves players to their routines and employs a straightforward approach when communicating with them. Recently, he stated that the team expected more offensive production from catcher Edgar Quero.
“It kind of gives us free rein to be ourselves and kind of express ourselves without someone on top,” right-hander Davis Martin told the Sun-Times.
It’s difficult to quantify a manager’s role in modern baseball as front offices exert more influence on day-to-day decisions. But Venable has shown so far that he’s adept at having the pulse of the locker room without being overbearing.
“It’s been all about the process,” left fielder Michael A. Taylor told the Sun-Times about Venable. “No matter the result, he understands what we need to do to be a winning organization, and the focus has been on that since day one.”
Taylor said there’s anxiety that happens between the lines, but that Venable “puts guys at ease and takes away some of the anxiety.”
The Sox have won three of their last four road series and improved to 7-9 in July after Sunday’s win. The Sox have been more competitive, there’s still room to improve, considering they’re 8-22 in one-run games.
The Sox have already won more series (10) than they did all of last season (nine). Sweeping the Pirates is a strong start to the second half, but it’ll mean little unless the Sox can build off the series win.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
