Venable Wins AL Manager of the Year After White Sox Turnaround

Will Venable has earned the American League’s top managerial honor, the association of baseball writers revealed on November 10, 2026. Chicago’s skipper finished ahead of Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash and Boston’s Chad Tracy for the award.

Chicago went 84-78 in 2026, a 24-win improvement over its 60-102 record in 2025. The team also reached the postseason for the first time since 2021.

The award follows several difficult seasons for the White Sox. They lost 121 games in 2024, the most by any team in baseball’s Modern Era, which dates to 1900, and then lost 102 games in 2025. Chicago had also dropped 101 games in 2023.

With its 2026 postseason berth, Chicago became the first team to reach the playoffs after losing at least 100 games in each of the prior two seasons.