With a strong finish to the 2025 season, the Chicago White Sox have a chance to see a 20-game improvement from where they were at last season.
That's a huge credit to White Sox manager Will Venable, who has led a team of young players admirably this season and helped them grow month-over-month.
For so many reasons, Venable is proving to be a great hire. He's the manager that White Sox fans have been waiting for and he's the right guy to lead this team as they head back towards contention over the next few years.
The 2025 White Sox play with a contagious energy, even if their record isn't worth celebrating. That's a reflection of the coaching staff. Venable has also been pushing the right buttons when it comes to his bullpen management, leading to success from the pen that the White Sox haven't seen in a decade.
The White Sox are Top 10 in bullpen ERA
The White Sox don't have an established closer. They also don't have any big money relievers on the roster.
Chicago's nine main relief options in 2025 - Steven Wilson, Grant Taylor, Dan Altavilla, Tyler Gilbert, Mike Vasil, Jordan Leasure, Brandon Eisert, Tyler Alexander, and Cam Booser - have a combined 2025 salary of $7,184,000. That's roughly $800,000 each.
Leasure and Tayor are tied for the team lead in saves with four (4).
The White Sox are the complete opposite of what contending teams like the Yankees, Mets, and Padres have tried to do with their bullpen. And yet, Chicago has a 3.75 bullpen ERA in 2025, which is 10th best in baseball.
The last time the White Sox had a Top 10 bullpen in baseball was 2021 when they ran away with the AL Central title. Even that group (3.97 ERA) was significantly less productive than the 2025 bullpen.
3.75 is the lowest ERA from a White Sox bullpen in at least a decade. I wasn't able to find a better performing group in my research.
Will Venable knows his players
One of the most important jobs an MLB manager has is bullpen management. That was the biggest complaint about Ricky Renteria when the 2020 White Sox made the playoffs. It led to his eventual firing.
The success of Chicago's bullpen in 2025 shows me that Will Venable knows his players and puts them in positions to succeed.
It requires an understanding of analytics and data, but also a feel for the players themselves. A good manager can dial the temperature of rooms that data can’t quantify.
It's a big reason why I'm confident in Will Venable moving forward. His decision making should only improve with time, and Chicago's roster should improve alongside him.