With their victory over the Mets on Sunday night, the Dodgers are headed back to the World Series. This isn’t ideal for the White Sox, however, as it could have negative implications on their ongoing managerial search.
According to previous reports, Chicago’s front office is believed to have interest in Los Angeles coaches Clayton McCullough and Danny Lehmann. McCullough has even been touted as a “leading candidate” by 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine last month, though interviews with both coaches have not yet happened.
Under MLB guidelines, the White Sox can ask the Dodgers for permission to speak with the two coaches, which they’ve likely already done. The franchise is just unable to conduct interviews until Los Angeles’ season ends. Given the timeline presented by GM Chris Getz, who said he’d like a new manager hired by the GM Meetings on November 5, the upcoming World Series run could essentially wipe out McCullough and Lehmann from the Sox’s plans.
McCullough, 44, was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in 2002 after attending East Carolina University. He only spent a few seasons in professional baseball before transitioning to his post-playing career, starting as a volunteer assistant coach for his alma mater. From there, McCullough worked his way up by serving as a manager for the Blue Jays’ rookie and A-ball affiliates from 2007-2014, during which his teams compiled a 629-559 record.
The former catching product then began his time in the Dodgers’ organization, serving in various roles over his first seven seasons, including a stint as the team’s minor league field coordinator. McCullough also spent 2020 overseeing the team’s alternate site at the University of Southern California during the COVID season. He became the team’s first base coach prior to the 2021 season and has remained in that role to this day.
Last offseason, McCullough reportedly interviewed for the Cleveland Guardians job that ultimately went to Stephen Vogt. He was also considered for other openings before the 2023 season, including with the Mets and the Royals.
Lehmann, 39, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Rice University and played in their farm system until 2013. After his playing career ended, he joined the Dodgers in 2015 as their Advance Video Scout and stayed in that role for three years.
In 2018, the Dodgers promoted Lehmann to Game Planning and Communications coach. He served as a Dodgers’ special assistant in 2019, before resuming his previous coaching position in 2020. The team promoted him to bench coach in 2023, where he currently still serves.
Though it would be disappointing for neither coach to be considered, the White Sox have several other publicly known candidates from organizations with winning backgrounds.
- Former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker
- Former Mets skipper Buck Showalter
- Former Angels manager Phil Nevin
- Cardinals bench coach Will Venable
- Rangers associate manager Daniel Descalso
- Tigers bench coach George Lombard
- Padres special assistant to major league staff and baseball operations A.J. Ellis
- Rangers bench coach and offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker
The list represents quite a large breadth of experience, though almost all names are either currently in the dugout in some role, a former MLB player, or both. With even more names likely in the running, it’s unclear if the White Sox are willing to pause their search to continue formal interviews beyond the postseason. If they do, then expect the Dodgers staff to be firmly in the mix. Otherwise, be on the lookout for the White Sox to make a decision and announce a hire as early as this week.
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