The latest: Will Venable named AL Manager of the Year in historic vote
CHICAGO — November 11, 2026.
In one of the most astonishing turnarounds in modern sports history, Chicago White Sox skipper Will Venable was officially awarded the 2026 American League Manager of the Year award by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) on Tuesday night. The honor caps an unforgettable maiden season on the South Side, where Venable transformed a franchise mired in three consecutive 100-loss embarrassments into a gritty, resilient postseason contender.
Venable garnered 15 first-place votes and 111 total points, narrowly edging Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash in a razor-thin ballot decided by baseball writers across the country. Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy finished third in the balloting.
Under Venable’s steady, analytical leadership, the White Sox posted an 84-78 record, capturing an American League Wild Card berth. In doing so, Chicago became the first franchise in the 124-year history of Major League Baseball to reach the postseason immediately following three straight 100-loss campaigns, completely burying the memory of their catastrophic, modern-era record 121-loss season in 2024.
Overcoming the darkest stretch in South Side baseball history
Just two years ago, the White Sox were the laughingstock of professional baseball. Their 41-121 mark in 2024 set the all-time modern record for defeats in a single major league season, followed by another grueling 60-102 campaign in 2025. Fans had grown alienated, attendance plummeted, and clubhouse morale was in tatters when front office executives entrusted Venable with the rebuild.
The 43-year-old former big league outfielder and Princeton graduate arrived with an unimpeachable pedigree, having served as bench coach for the World Series champion Texas Rangers under Bruce Bochy. Rather than promising overnight miracles, Venable instituted an uncompromising culture centered on defensive fundamentals, plate discipline, and aggressive bullpen management.
“We didn’t run away from the past; we owned it,” Venable told reporters during a post-announcement video conference. “Every guy who walked into that clubhouse in February made a commitment that we were going to play clean, relentless baseball. This award belongs to every coach, player, and staff member who refused to accept the narrative that Chicago couldn't win.”
Venable edges Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash; Brewers' Pat Murphy makes NL history
The American League voting produced one of the most competitive finishes in recent BBWAA history. Kevin Cash, seeking his third Manager of the Year trophy after steering an injury-ravaged Tampa Bay roster to 89 wins, earned 11 first-place votes and 98 total points, falling just short of Venable’s 111 points.
Venable joins an elite fraternity on the South Side, becoming only the sixth manager in franchise history to claim the BBWAA honor, following Tony La Russa (1983), Jeff Torborg (1990), Gene Lamont (1993), Jerry Manuel (2000), and Ozzie Guillén (2005).
Over in the National League, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy made unprecedented baseball history by winning his third consecutive NL Manager of the Year award. Murphy, who guided the Brewers to a franchise-record 103 regular-season wins and their first World Series championship, conducted his live victory interview with MLB Network from a hospital bed, having scheduled a hip replacement procedure immediately after the World Series parade.
