The Chicago White Sox have decided to let go of executive vice president Ken Williams and senior vice president/general manager Rick Hahn, according to an announcement made by the team on Tuesday. The decision came from White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
The White Sox, who won the AL Central in 2021 and finished with an 81-81 record last season, are currently sitting at 49-76, making it clear that they are out of playoff contention this year.
In a statement, Reinsdorf expressed the difficulty of his decision, acknowledging the talent and long-standing relationships Williams and Hahn have at the White Sox. He thanked them for their contributions, including winning the 2005 World Series and making multiple postseason appearances during their tenure.
“Ultimately, professional sports revolves around results, and unfortunately, this year has been very disappointing for us on many levels,” Reinsdorf explained. “After considering the situation, I have concluded that the best course of action for the organization is to make a change in our baseball department leadership.”
The team has stated that they plan to hire a “single decision maker to lead the baseball operations department” and expect to finalize this hire before the end of the season. In the coming days, reports are likely to surface regarding the White Sox’s meetings with potential candidates to fill this position. Notably, assistant general managers Jeremy Haber and Chris Getz will retain their roles. Additionally, first-year manager Pedro Grifol is safe for the remainder of the 2023 season, as confirmed by USA Today.
Williams, 59, served as the general manager from 2000-2012 before being promoted to executive vice president. He played a key role in assembling the 2005 World Series championship team.
Hahn, on the other hand, joined the White Sox front office in 2002 and became the GM when Williams moved into the executive vice president role.
The 2005 World Series victory remains a significant accomplishment for Williams and, to a lesser extent, Hahn. However, nearly two decades have passed since then, and the White Sox have struggled to consistently succeed. Since their championship win, the White Sox have only made the playoffs in 2008, 2020, and 2021. In each of those years, they failed to advance past the division series.
Furthermore, this season marks the seventh time in the last 11 years that the team finishes in either fourth or fifth place in the AL Central. Out of the past 18 seasons, the White Sox have only had a winning record six times. Since 2012, they have accumulated a record of 834-970, ranking 26th among all MLB teams.
These results are far from satisfactory, particularly considering the team’s location in the competitive Chicago market. Reinsdorf emphasized the results-oriented nature of Major League Baseball and, although it was a difficult decision for him personally, letting go of Williams and Hahn was necessary for the improvement of the White Sox.
