The White Sox are in the final stages of their manager search.
MLB insider Jon Heyman reports that Tigers bench coach George Lombard is the latest to be out of the running. This news comes hours after Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough and Padres special assistant A.J. Ellis were also eliminated.
Lombard, 49, was recently touted as one of the three leading candidates for the position just days ago by Heyman. He began his coaching career with the Red Sox’s minor league affiliates before filling the same role, roving outfield and baserunning coordinator, with the Braves in 2015. The Dodgers then hired Lombard as their first base coach, a role he would hold from 2016 to 2020 under Dave Roberts. He departed Los Angeles following the COVID season and has served as A.J. Hinch’s bench coach in Detroit ever since.
The former outfielder has previously been interviewed for positions with the Marlins (base coach) and Pirates (manager). Given his time with a World Series champion Los Angeles team, which is a top-class organization itself, Lombard possesses great experience to go along with his current coaching role on an ALDS team.
Now that Lombard, Ellis, and McCullough are all out of the mix, the focus shifts to Rangers associate manager Will Venable and former Angels skipper Phil Nevin. Heyman noted that Venable is a guy who Chris Getz has always liked, making him a name to continue watching closely out of the two. Interim manager Grady Sizemore is also believed to still be in the search, per the insider’s latest post.
As the White Sox approach a final decision, we’ll be monitoring the situation for any further updates. Look for an official announcement to be made by the team this week.
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