White Sox Rumors: Ron Washington, Joe Espada Among Candidates for Manager Job

Atlanta Braves third base coach Ron Washington, Kansas City Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol and Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada are reportedly among the top candidates in the Chicago White Sox's wide-ranging search for a new manager.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the update Friday, with a rival MLB executive saying the White Sox wrapped up the 2022 season as the "most underachieving team in the last 50 years."

"You know I don't comment on rumors," team owner Jerry Reinsdorf told Heyman when asked about the managerial vacancy.

Chicago entered the season as the favorite to win the AL Central, and FanGraphs projected the club with the eighth-best odds to win the World Series at 5.3 percent.

The South Siders didn't come close to reaching those expectations. They posted an 81-81 record and a negative run differential (minus-31) while finishing 11 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the division and five games behind the AL's final wild-card spot.

Tony La Russa, who was hired by the White Sox in October 2020, stepped away from the team in August to focus on his health. He stepped down from the managerial role in early October, saying his recovery from heart problems would extend into the 2023 season.

Miguel Cairo managed the club on an interim basis for the remainder of 2022, but so far doesn't appear among the main targets to fill the full-time role.

Washington is the name that stands out among the candidates listed by Heyman for a club that could use a culture shift.

The 70-year-old former Texas Rangers manager has established himself as a no-nonsense leader with a work ethic that's unsurpassed around MLB.

He's well known for his relentless infield work, and the impact of his daily pregame drills with the Braves aren't simply an intangible.

Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley, who posted a minus-nine defensive runs saved (DRS) at third base over his first two MLB seasons, has compiled a plus-19 DRS over the past two years, per FanGraphs.

"Working with Wash every day, he's watching every little thing," Riley told Scott Miller of the New York Times last October. "Every ball he's hitting, he's making sure you're making the right moves."

Washington also owns a strong managerial track record, racking up a 664-611 record and a pair of World Series appearances across eight seasons with the Rangers (2007-14). He won a World Series ring last year with the Braves, who hired him in 2017.

The White Sox have the talent to contend, and the former MLB infielder is the type of manager who would ensure the work is being put in to reach the club's full potential.

Chicago hasn't announced a timetable for making a decision about filling the vacancy.