MLB Rumors: Buck Showalter 'Angling' for White Sox Manager Job amid Historic Losing

Buck Showalter has reportedly expressed interest in becoming the next manager of the Chicago White Sox.

During a recent live chat, The Athletic's Keith Law (h/t Joe Binder of SoxOn35th.com) wrote that Showalter is "angling" for the managerial job in Chicago.

The 68-year-old Showalter has spent 22 years as an MLB manager with the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets, but the White Sox would perhaps be his toughest job yet since they are coming off a 2024 season that saw them lose an MLB-record 121 games.

Over the course of his managerial career, Showalter has shown a penchant for helping turn teams around, posting an overall record of 1,727-1,665 with six playoff appearances.

He most recently served a two-year stint as manager of the Mets, going 101-61 in his first season, although New York lost in the National League Wild Card Series.

The Mets then dropped off significantly to the tune of a 75-87 record last season, missing the playoffs and costing Showalter his job.

As far as the White Sox are concerned, there is nowhere to go but up on the heels of a historically bad season.

At .253, the 41-121 White Sox had the fifth-worst winning percentage in a single MLB season since 1901 behind only the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, 1935 Boston Braves, 1962 Mets and 1904 Washington Senators.

Following a 28-89 start to the campaign, Pedro Grifol was fired after less than two full seasons as Chicago's manager. He was replaced on an interim basis by Grady Sizemore, who posted a 13-32 mark.

It is unclear if Sizemore is considered a candidate to land the full-time managerial job, but a few other outside candidates have emerged for the job.

Aside from Showalter, Binder noted that 670 The Score's Bruce Levine has linked Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough to the White Sox's job, while USA Today's Bob Nightengale named former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a strong possibility.

As of now, the White Sox and Marlins are the only teams with a managerial vacancy since the Cincinnati Reds hired Terry Francona to be their new manager this week.

Per Binder, the White Sox are hoping to fill their vacancy by the end of October or the first week of November at the latest.

Whoever takes that position will have a huge job ahead of them, although MLB.com did rank Chicago's farm system as the 11th-best in baseball in August, so there is at least some hope for the future.