Chicago cut ties with Ethan Katz and other holdovers as Will Venable reshapes his staff and AAA manager Sergio Santos exits the organization.

It’s barely the first day of the offseason, and the White Sox already can’t help themselves. Monday brought a flurry of coaching changes to Will Venable’s staff, plus one ousting down in the minors. None of it was shocking, but all of it felt very White Sox.

Katz Finally Out of Lives

Ethan Katz somehow survived three managers since 2021, but the Sox decided not to renew his contract. Along with him, Pedro Grifol’s old crew of first base coach Jason Bourgeois, hitting coach Marcus Thames, and catching coach Drew Butera also got the boot. After another year of pitchers walking everyone and inconsistent hitting, maybe change isn’t the worst idea.

Sergio Santos: AAA Hero to Unemployed

Down in Charlotte, Sergio Santos is out as manager after one season. He went from winning a Southern League title with Birmingham to being promoted to manage a Triple-A roster that underachieved even with all the prospects floating through. He became famous for teary, feel-good call-up videos. The Sox must’ve decided they’ve had enough of vibes. Someone else will scoop him up.

Sizemore Keeps Rising

One guy actually got a promotion. Grady Sizemore went from vague “major league coach” to interim manager after Grifol got canned, then “offensive coordinator” (whatever that was supposed to mean). Now he moves into the front office.

What’s On Tap Next?

Over the next month, Venable will start plugging in his new lieutenants with bench coach Walter McKinven in the foxhole. Expect hitting coordinator Ryan Fuller and pitching director Brian Bannister to whisper some names.

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Venable showed he could actually steer a ship in his rookie season, which is a refreshing change. Now he gets the chance to pick his staff instead of running Pedro Grifol’s leftovers through the car wash again. Whether it leads to more wins or just more job titles like “offensive coordinator” remains to be seen.