Pedro Grifol looks to be next White Sox manager
Yes, the first true hiring process in two decades yielded the bench coach in Kansas City that the Royals did not want to hire
On Tuesday, news began to break that Kansas City bench coach and Royals organization mainstay Pedro Grifol would be named the next manager of the White Sox.
This news has been a long time coming, given that the White Sox were the last club with an opening to fill it.
Monday, the breaking news on the South Side in regards to the managerial search was the White Sox having gotten permission to interview Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza.
White Sox got permission to interview Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza for manager opening. White Sox search has been mostly a mystery. Ozzie Guillen, Ron Washington and Joe Espada have been mentioned but none of those 3 are seen now as especially likely.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 31, 2022
Then, as if that wasn’t enough, fans found out Mendoza was actually interviewed not over the weekend, but 12 days ago.
According to sources Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza interviewed with the White Sox 12 days ago.Sox candidate Ozzie Guillen and Mendoza are old winter ball pals.@JonHeyman first to report the Wh Sox got permission to talk with Mendoza.Mendoza has not had a second interview.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) November 1, 2022
Mendoza is the bench coach in the Bronx, having played 13 seasons in the minor leagues before becoming a coach in the Yankees system. In 2017, he became the infield coach for the major league club, and he was promoted to bench coach for the 2020 season. Mendoza has been working under Aaron Boone for the last two years, and certainly knows what it is like to win, even if there hasn’t been a World Series ring in New York for 13 seasons. Mendoza certainly checked off the criteria of being outside the White Sox organization and having recent championship experience.
But on Tuesday morning, it was reported that Mendoza along with Pedro Grifol were the two finalists competing for the job.
A mere minute later, Buster Olney broke the news that Grifol is going to be named the next manager. I guess you can forget everything I just told you about Mendoza.
Pedro Grifol, longtime coach with the Royals, is expected to be the next White Sox manager, an announcement that could come later this week.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 1, 2022
Grifol is a candidate that has been been named since the managerial search started, but given that he is a part of the Royals organization, doesn’t fit in the recent championship experience category. Grifol, 52, played nine seasons in the minor leagues in the 90s and has been with the Royals organization since 2013.
Ken Rosenthal confirmed this news and started answering fans next question. What does this mean for the rest of the coaching staff?
Sources confirm: Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol expected to be named next White Sox manager. A number of White Sox coaches not being asked back. Pitching coach Ethan Katz expected to return. First on Grifol: @Buster_ESPN
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 1, 2022
While this news isn’t official until the White Sox release a statement, it does seem likely that Grifol is their guy. The hire is unexciting, and seems likely it was the team’s backup plan when the original plan fell through, but such is the White Sox way.