Cascade’s Grady Sizemore named interim manager of White Sox

Grady Sizemore starred as a major-league baseball player. Now the Everett native is getting his chance as a major-league manager.

The Cascade High School graduate was named the interim manager of Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Sizemore joined the White Sox’s coaching staff at the beginning of the season. It is his first season coaching at the major-league level.

The White Sox’s managerial position opened up when Chicago fired manager Pedro Grifol, also on Thursday. Grifol, who managed the Everett AquaSox from 2003-05, was in his second season as manager for a Chicago team going through a major rebuild. The White Sox recently endured a franchise-record 21-game losing streak, and Grifol had to deny reports of discord in the clubhouse. Grifol finished with an 89-190 record during his two seasons with Chicago.

Sizemore, 42, is one of the greatest athletes ever produced by Snohomish County. A member of Cascade’s graduating class of 2000, Sizemore was a three-sport star for the Bruins, turning down a scholarship offer to play quarterback at the University of Washington to turn professional in baseball.

Sizemore was selected as an outfielder in the third round of the 2000 baseball draft by the Montreal Expos, and after being traded as a prospect to Cleveland he made his major-league debut with the then-Indians in 2004. That began a 12-year major-league career with Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays in which he appeared in 1,101 games, batting .265 with 150 home runs, 518 RBI and 143 stolen bases.

Sizemore’s peak seasons were 2005-08 with Cleveland, during which he was one of the best players in baseball. He led the American League in runs (134 in 2006) and doubles (53 in 2006), while hitting as many as 33 home runs (2008) and stealing as many as 38 bases (2008). During that stretch he made three All-Star teams, won two Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger. He received American League MVP votes all four seasons.

Sizemore was named The Herald’s Man of the Year in Sports for 1999, and when The Herald produced its list of the 50 greatest athletes in Snohomish County history in 2005 he was ranked No. 16. He was inducted into the Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

Sizemore takes over a White Sox team that was 28-89 heading into Thursday and on pace to break the infamous 1962 New York Mets’ major-league record of 120 losses in a season.

“As we all recognize, our team’s performance this season has been disappointing on many levels,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said in a statement. “Despite the on-field struggles and lack of success, we appreciate the effort and professionalism Pedro and the staff brought to the ballpark every day. These two seasons have been very challenging. Unfortunately, the results were not there, and a change is necessary as we look to our future and the development of a new energy around the team.”

The statement added that the White Sox will begin their search for a full-time manager immediately, with a replacement expected to be announced after the end of the season. Therefore, Sizemore will likely have close to two months to show what he can do at the helm.

The White Sox also fired three coaches: bench coach Charlie Montoyo, third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez and assistant hitting coach Mike Tosar (a former Everett AquaSox hitting coach). They were replaced by Doug Sisson, Justin Jirschele and Mike Gellinger, respectively.