Despite a strikeout-filled finish to a five-game American League Division Series loss to the Guardians that he admits left “a sting,” the tone of White Sox general manager Chris Getz’s end-of-season media availability was celebratory.
“A lot of people that followed the White Sox or tracked the White Sox, they really felt there was a team within our clubhouse; how they went about their business, how they played for each other,” Getz said.
As such, Getz isn’t interested in disrupting that clubhouse atmosphere nor breaking up the group that nurtured the American League’s best offense. The Sox GM expects to retain his major-league coaching staff for the 2027 season.
“I think about the last offseason and the amount of interviewing and hires that we made, and that certainly has paid off,” Getz said. “Now to have really talented coaches in our coaches’ room, in our locker room, is something that is perhaps a separator for us, and now to really stabilize that, to have that going forward I think is going to benefit us.”
Hitting coach Derek Shomon and pitching coach Zach Bove were just hired the previous winter in a process that included manager Will Venable and the current front office. They likely would have been retained even if the Sox had shown only incremental improvement, rather than a 24-win jump that made history for the first playoff appearance for a team coming off back-to-back years of 100 losses or more (let alone three-straight, like these White Sox).
Venable will likely draw AL manager of the year votes, if not win the award outright, and that tends to bring some stability.
“We’ve got a really special manager,” Getz said. “He’s got a tremendous feel for people, and his communication style and his consistency, I think allowed our clubhouse to really grow.”
Meidroth going for Gold
White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth might receive formal recognition for a big reason why advanced metrics rate him as one of the best at his position. The 25-year-old second-year infielder is a finalist for the AL Gold Glove at second base, alongside Michael Massey of the Royals and Cole Young of the Mariners.
Coaches from all 30 MLB teams — including managers — vote on the award, while sabermetric defensive ratings account for about a quarter of final decision. In the latter, Meidroth rates strongly. He is third among AL second baseman in fielding percentage (.986), but first in MLB Statcast’s Fielding Run Value.
Murakami talks persist
For his part, first baseman Munetaka Murakami was named a finalist for AL rookie of the year in the Players’ Choice Awards, voted on by members of the MLBPA, after posting an .825 OPS and socking 35 home runs in his debut season.
White Sox fans can be forgiven for having more anticipation about whether Murakami works out a new contract this offseason, to keep him in Chicago past when his current deal expires after 2027.
“We’ll continue to have those conversations,” Getz said. “Mune means a lot to us. And we certainly want him to come back here and be here for a long time.”
Still seeking a Shirley replacement
After amateur scouting director Mike Shirley resigned in September, Getz confirmed the team is still in the process of hiring a replacement, albeit under a modernized job title of “director of amateur acquisitions.”
