Former Angels skipper comes up short in the Chicago White Sox managerial race

Phil Nevin was passed over for the Chicago White Sox managerial position, with the club instead opting for Will Venable. He will be replacing Pedro Grifol, and his interim manager, Grady Sizemore.

Venable was a former outfielder, playing nine seasons (from 2008-2016) for the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Once Venable's playing days were over, he worked closely with the then Cubs' team president Theo Epstein in Chicago, then Red Sox manager Alex Cora in Boston, and the Rangers' manager Bruce Bochy in Texas. Venable is a venerable baseball personality, widely respected throughout the league. The 42-year-old will be a first time big league manager for a team coming off of a year where they had arguably the worst season ever, with a roster and ownership that is in-flux.

Craig Albernaz, Sizemore, and Nevin were the runners-up for the role. Nevin, who managed the Los Angeles Angels from midway through the 2022 season until the end of 2023, would have been reunited with his former coaches Marcus Thames, Matt Wise, and Drew Butera if he had been tabbed as the White Sox skipper. The now 53-year-old Nevin was added to the Angels' staff in 2022, and became the interim manager following Joe Maddon's dismissal during a 12-game losing streak in early June that year. Nevin's legacy is that of a stern, but fair, manager, who presided over Shohei Ohtani's final days with an Angels team who came up short of the playoffs one too many times to keep the two-way superstar around long-term. His deep voice booms over clubhouses and press conferences, and he commands respect everywhere he goes. His son, Tyler Nevin, currently plays for the Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas A's.

Nevin was the first overall pick in the MLB Draft back in 1992, and hit 208 home runs and posted an .814 OPS over his 12-year playing career. Nevin managed Detroit's Toledo Mud Hens and Arizona's Reno Aces before becoming a major league coach. He worked with the San Francisco Giants before famously becoming the Yankees' major league third base coach. Nevin became infamous amongst the Yankees fans back in 2021. Nevin, much like Luis Rojas in Game 3 of the World Series, became much maligned for a playoff moment. Giancarlo Stanton lined a ball off the Green Monster and Nevin waved in Aaron Judge during a do-or-die Wild Card game against Boston, only for him to get hosed at the plate. He was fired in the days following the loss.