Will Venable is hoping for a significant leap in 2026

The White Sox Podcast w/ Chuck Garfien

Chicago Sports Network

Sports, Sports:baseball, Baseball

4.7 • 620 Ratings

🗓️ 25 March 2026

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Chuck Garfien’s Spring Training Podcast-pa-looza wraps up with a conversation with White Sox manager Will Venable. He reflects on the team's hustle in the final game of the 2025 season, shares what he’s learned a year into his managerial career, and opens up about key early interactions—from his conversation with Jared Kelenic to the moment he told Shane Smith he’d be the Opening Day starter. Venable also lays out the tone he wants to establish and how he plans to be more hands-on as the team takes shape. Venable dives into the bigger picture for 2026, discussing whether this group has truly learned how to win and what kind of leap the White Sox can make this season. He touches on Miguel Vargas’ presence in the clubhouse, the mindset he wants his players to carry into the year, and how he plans to guide a young roster forward. It’s a candid, tone-setting conversation that puts a bow on Podcast-pa-looza and sets the stage for what’s ahead on the South Side in 2026.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The White Sox podcast with Chuck Garfine is brought to you by Wind Creek, Chicago, Southland.
0:05.0	Are you ready for your winning moment? Find it at Wind Creek, Chicago, Southland, where the action never stops.
0:18.2	Hey, everybody, it's Chuck Garfine. Welcome to the White Sox podcast.
0:22.7	Brought by Wind Creek, Chicago, Southland, as we wrap up our White Sox podcast Palooza here at Camelback Ranch.
0:30.5	And we finish with a conversation with the manager of the White Sox, Will Venable.
0:35.5	I sat down with Will inside his office, the same office where he told
0:39.2	Shane Smith, he was going to be the opening day starter, same office where he told Jared
0:44.4	Kellnick, he was going to start the season in AAA. We talk about this season and the hopes for the
0:50.9	year, the expectations, and the tone that the White Sox want to set on opening day against the Brewers.
0:57.6	It's a conversation with Will Venable here on the White Sox podcast.
1:01.6	Here we go.
1:05.4	A ball hit deep way back.
1:07.5	There's a blast.
1:08.7	Deep to left.
1:13.0	Holy cow. Carl Penn Press. Puff! back there's a blast deep to left oh holy cow carl put the white talk ahead montgomery deep to right field back it goes
1:20.3	his first big league home run you can't put it on board yes all! All right, sit back relax and strath it down.
1:30.3	It's time for the White Sox podcast with our Chuck.
1:34.3	Chuck Garfine.
1:39.3	All right, so you're a manager this spring versus last spring when you came in, first-time manager.
1:49.0	How are you better?
1:50.0	How are you different as a manager right now versus last year?
1:54.0	You know, coming into this year, it's just clarity around the program, clarity around the details that I want to prioritize for the group,
	...

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