The celebration of the Chicago White Sox 2026 campaign keeps chugging along.
Yes, the campaign came to a crushing end in the ALDS. The frisky White Sox found themselves up two games on the Cleveland Guardians after stealing two on the road. Then, they proceeded to drop three straight as their offense went historically cold. To know they were just one win away from their first ALCS berth since 2005 undoubtedly stings.
Nevertheless, when fans look back at the 2026 club, they are bound to have a big smile on their face. The White Sox were arguably the best story in baseball, maintaining a spot in the playoff race all year after three consecutive seasons with 100+ losses. It's no understatement to declare this one of the most impressive turnarounds in MLB history, and that's precisely why they are earning some extra recognition.
Sporting News revealed its Manager of the Year winners for the American and National Leagues on Thursday. And White Sox skipper Will Venable took home the hardware.
Oct 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable before the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the White Sox in game four of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
To preface, Sporting News' Manager of the Year award is not the same as official MLB honors. We are still waiting to learn who will take home that title. Having said that, it's still one of the most renowned acknowledgements in baseball, as the publication has been handing out the awards since 1936.
The top finishers are also determined via peer voting. In other words, the White Sox' Will Venable was recognized by his fellow managers. He is also the first White Sox manager to win the award since Ozzie Guillen in 2005 and the sixth in franchise history, per MLB.com .
As if going from a 60-102 record to an 84-78 record wasn't impressive enough, the way in which Venable pulled it off is pretty remarkable. The White Sox had one of the youngest teams in baseball, relying on a handful of rookies and second-year players.
On top of that, their starting pitching unit failed to show up for most of the season. While GM Chris Getz would go on to add Luis Castillo at the trade deadline, he quickly ended up demoted to the bullpen and placed on IL. Venable had to keep his White Sox team afloat by leaning largely on his relievers, frequently using openers and bulk starters.
Even come playoff time, Venable doubled down on his approach. The White Sox flew past the Houston Astros and went the distance with the Guardians while pitching their relievers more than anyone else. Now, did it eventually blow up in their face? Yes. But it sure feels like Venable maximized this group.
Venable undoubtedly still has a lot to learn from this season, especially after the ALDS collapse. However, he is only 43 years old and has already played a major part in turning this franchise around. With that in mind, this might not be the last Manager of the Year title he takes home.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/whitesox/onsi as Will Venable Joins Exclusive White Sox Club with Huge Offseason Award .
