Pedro Grifol and the Chicago White Sox head into MLB games today boasting a league-worst 15-46 record. It has been a disaster class of epic proportions for this organization in 2024.
A lot of the ire from White Sox fans has turned to embattled owner Jerry Reinsdorf. But there is seemingly much more to the discontent in the Windy City.
According to this note from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Grifol created drama within the locker room when he took to media following a May 26 loss to the Baltimore Orioles calling the team’s play “f**king flat.”
He doubled down on it the next day after a loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
“I thought we were flat. And that’s where I’m going to leave it. They have their opinions. I have mine. This is not divided by any means. This is not them against Pedro, Pedro against them. It’s just a situation. I thought we were flat. They didn’t think we were flat. It’s over. We gotta go out there and play baseball.”
Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol
Apparently, this is not sitting well with several members of the White Sox’ roster as the team continues with what will ultimately be another lost season.
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Could Pedro Grifol’s job with the Chicago White Sox be on the line?
Outside of these comments, Grifol’s job in Chicago seems to be teetering in the balance due to the team’s on-field play.
In addition to posting a league-worst record thus far this season, the ‘Sox were 61-101 in his first campaign as manager in 2023.
“These things, of course, rarely end well. Grifol probably would have been in trouble even if he had not criticized his players. The White Sox, then and now, had the worst record in the majors,” Rosenthal noted. “Their first-year general manager Chris Getz inherited Grifol from the previous regime. All of the pieces are in place for a managerial change. The only question is when it will happen.”
Chicago has been involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline next month. Certainly, continued disastrous play will lead to them moving off assets.
As a rookie general manager, Getz might simply want to move off Grifol while acknowledging that a long-term marriage is not in the cards.
That’s especially true with Chicago likely to call up top prospects Colson Montgomery, Edgar Quero and Drew Thorpe in the second half of the season.