DALLAS — Manager Will Venable sees the new Chicago White Sox coaching position of “offensive coordinator” as an opportunity for Grady Sizemore to impact strategy and help set the tone for what the team wants to accomplish situationally, at the plate and on the bases.
“A lot of times, it’s nice to have somebody that can have an overarching perspective and be aware of trends and overarching philosophical stuff that is really important to keep an eye on, too,” Venable said Monday at the MLB winter meetings. “That role is going to be really important to our staff.”
The Sox announced their coaching staff Monday, which included Sizemore’s new title as the offensive coordinator.
Sizemore joined the Sox last season as a “major-league coach” and became the team’s interim manager when the club fired Pedro Grifol on Aug. 8.
Sizemore remains to aid Venable, a first-year manager.
“Very excited and confident about the people we’re keeping on board, about their abilities to help us move forward and push this group,” Venable said. “Part of our excitement is about Grady, somebody who — as I went through this process and learned about this club, had a good understanding of his impact on the club, not only the coaches but certainly the players. And to have him back leveraging his knowledge of the game and relationships with people in the clubhouse and organization, I was extremely excited.
“He’s going to help in lineup construction, will have input on our advance process offensively, our feedback for our players and our game planning.”
Venable joined the Sox after spending time on a Texas Rangers staff that had an offensive coordinator in Donnie Ecker, who was also the team’s bench coach. Venable said the position will have a different look with the Sox.
Venable indicated in November that Sizemore would have a role on his staff. The Sox went 13-32 over the final two months of the season with Sizemore as the skipper, including a 5-1 stretch in the final six games.
“We had open conversations,” Venable said. “It was one of the first conversations I had. He indicated to me about his excitement about staying on board and wanting to contribute in any way he could. And I was excited about that, and fitting him in to leverage his skill set.”
While a majority of the staff that concluded the 2024 season will return, the Sox added Walker McKinven as the bench coach and Joel McKeithan as the assistant hitting coach.
McKinven spent the last five seasons (2020-24) working with the Milwaukee Brewers, including 2024 as the team’s run prevention coordinator. The Brewers allowed the fourth-fewest runs (641) in the majors in 2024.
“Very bright guy,” Venable said. “Really instrumental in building a program out there in Milwaukee. And somebody, as we’re building a foundation here and continuing to build things, I thought he was a great fit.
“You hear about the type of person he is, the communicator and the results he had in the catching and game-planning stuff, he was a really attractive candidate for us.”
McKinven previously served as the Brewers’ associate pitching, catching and strategy coach from 2021-23 and major-league coach in 2020. The 35-year-old is an Evanston native and a New Trier High School product.
“Walker, as a bench coach, is really going to be helpful in a lot of different areas,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “He’s going to help Will, I think that they’re going to mesh very well.”
McKeithan, 33, was the Cincinnati Reds hitting coach for the last two seasons. He originally joined the Reds organization as the assistant hitting coach before the 2022 season.
Ethan Katz is back for his fifth season as the pitching coach. Marcus Thames (hitting), Jason Bourgeois (first base/outfield), Matt Wise (assistant pitching coach) and Drew Butera (catcher) return for their second season. Justin Jirschele, who joined the major-league staff in August, also remains as the third-base coach.
“It was an amazing process getting through it and putting the puzzle pieces together,” Venable said. “Excited to add Walker and McKeithan, we heard a lot of great things about them, and as they work with the rest of our staff, really excited about them.
“These (returning coaches) have done a great job in continuing to build the foundation. With the relationships that they’ve built and things in place, me as a first-time manager and the new guy to this group, it’s important to have them on board.”
Venable said building the staff was a collaborative effort with the front office.
“We talked about it every step of the way,” Venable said.
Getz said he is excited to see the group work together.
“I love the coaching staff,” Getz said. “They all have a diversified skill set, different backgrounds. I think it’s a combination of talent, experience levels, energy, work ethic, all the things that go into a quality coaching staff that I think is going to work its way throughout the whole organization, quite honestly.”
The Sox said Mike Gellinger and Doug Sisson, who were added to the 2024 coaching staff in August as the assistant hitting coach and co-bench coach respectively, will be reassigned within the organization.
