The Chicago White Sox have found their new manager in Pedro Grifol.
Grifol had been the bench coach of the Kansas City Royals and was hired to replace Hall-of-Famer Tony La Russa, who was forced to step away at the end of the season due to lingering health issues.
Grifol chose No. 5 for his jersey number as he prepares for his first year at the helm for the South Siders.
The new manager was interviewed on MLB Network and was asked about his choice to wear No. 5.
He stated that he chose the number to honor Royals great George Brett, who he had worked with during his time in Kansas City.
Grifol Honors Brett With No. 5
Grifol had been in the Royals organization for the past 10 seasons and served as the bench coach under Ned Yost and Mike Matheny.
Grifol was also on hand for the Royals’ World Series runs in 2014 and 2015.
In 2015, the Royals won the World Series for the first time since 1985, when Brett was the star of the team.
So naturally, to keep the winning tradition going, Grifol chose No. 5 as manager of the White Sox as a way to honor his friend.
The White Sox fell flat in 2022 after winning an AL Central title the year before, finishing in a distant second place in the division behind the Cleveland Guardians with an 81-81 record.
The White Sox will look to improve in 2023 with Grifol at the helm.
Chicago had won 93 games in 2021 under La Russa before falling short in the ALDS against the Houston Astros.
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