Will Venable, who has lived in Burlington for several years, is the new manager of the Chicago White Sox.
The announcement came the day following the end of the World Series last week, though it was far from a secret as speculation regarding Venable’s connection to the White Sox had grown for days beforehand.
Venable, who turned 42 last week, married the former Kathryn Miller of Burlington in 2013.
Venable was associate manager of the Texas Rangers, who won the 2023 World Series, for the past two years.
Venable, who grew up in California, was an outfielder for the San Diego Padres, Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Following his playing career, he was on major league staffs with the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox before joining the Rangers.
The White Sox finished with the worst modern-day record in major league history in 2024, going 41-121.
White Sox general manager Chris Getz also has a Burlington connection. In 2014 and 2015, he was an assistant to player development for the Kansas City Royals, who had a farm team in Burlington.
“He became the perfect final candidate for us,” Getz said of Venable during a media announcement on Zoom. “It was an extensive interview process.”
For 2024, the White Sox were managed by Pedro Grifol, who was fired August 8, and Grady Sizemore, who was the interim skipper for the rest of the season.
Venable is a college graduate of Princeton, where he played baseball and basketball. He was an All-Ivy League player in both sports.
