CHICAGO (670 The Score) – The White Sox’s managerial search is ramping up as their miserable season winds down.
Sitting at 36-120 ahead of their game against the Angels on Tuesday evening at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox were one setback away from setting the MLB record for the most losses in a single season. As they’ve played out the string on a season full of futility, the White Sox have also been researching potential managerial candidates.
The White Sox fired Pedro Grifol on Aug. 8 and installed Grady Sizemore as their interim manager. Sizemore will be under consideration for the full-time managerial job, general manager Chris Getz said Tuesday. That represented a reversal from Getz’s prior comments in which he stressed that the White Sox would hire a manager from outside the organization.
“He has a lot of the traits that we are looking for in the next manager,” Getz said of Sizemore. “We certainly want to go through a full process before making a decision.”
Before he took the White Sox’s interim managerial job, the 42-year-old Sizemore was guaranteed a position on the coaching staff in 2025, sources said.
“I do not have too many thoughts about that now," Sizemore said of being a candidate for the full-time job. “We just want to finish the season strong. I like everything about this organization and like the opportunity they have given me. I want to continue what I started and help the organization in any way I can.”
In the aftermath of Grifol’s firing, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker was a hot name tied to the White Sox, as he and Miami management have already agreed that he won’t return to his current role in 2025. But the Reds recently fired manager David Bell and a few other jobs are likely to open soon as well. That could change the dynamic for Schumaker, as most believe he’s likely to take a more secure position over the White Sox job, if he was to be offered a contract.
One of the names that has emerged as a leading candidate for the White Sox’s managerial opening is Dodgers first-base coach Clayton McCullough, sources told 670 The Score. McCullough, 44, is former minor league catcher who was a manager in the Blue Jays’ minor league system from 2006 to 2014. He has been with the Dodgers since 2015, initially as a minor league coordinator.
“I was told not to get my hopes up for the job,” an American League coach said about the White Sox’s opening. “They love McCullough and think with his background and pedigree, he is the perfect manager to help develop and grow with the young group they are building there.”
McCullough grew up around the game of baseball, as his father, Howard, was a pro scout for 36 years with three organizations.
“We are looking for someone who understands where we are in the process,” Getz said Tuesday, speaking generally. “I am looking for a partner in this to help lead this organization. We have a deep candidate pool. We will work on that and find the best fit for us. The player development component will be a strong emphasis on what we are looking for. The next manager will have to be in charge of that development, especially at the big league level. I think maybe in this case, the background and player development ability will be more meaningful.”
The White Sox hope to have a new manager hired by late October or the first week of November. Under MLB guidelines, they can ask permission to speak with candidates who are currently working for playoff teams and then interview them in October.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.