It’s been 11 years since the Texas Rangers have had a Manager of the Year winner, but on Tuesday night, someone with organizational ties took home the honors.

Former Rangers associate manager Will Venable won the 2026 American League Manager of the Year award after leading the Chicago White Sox back to the postseason for the first time since 2021.

In just his second season, Venable helped Chicago become the first team in major-league history to reach the postseason after consecutive 100-or-more-loss seasons.

Prior to the 2023 season, Venable was hired by Texas to become Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man during his first season in charge.

Venable would be a vital piece to the coaching staff that helped lead the Rangers to their first World Series championship.

After a pair of seasons as Texas' associate manager, Venable departed to become manager of the White Sox.

Many viewed Venable as the potential successor to Bochy, who did not return as Rangers manager after his contract expired following the 2025 season.

With Venable gone to Chicago, Texas ended up hiring Skip Schumaker as manager after he joined the team’s front office just a year earlier.

In his first season at the helm of the Rangers, Schumaker led the team to an 80-82 record, missing the playoffs by just one game.

Had Texas made the postseason as the winners of the American League West, they would have faced Venable’s White Sox team in a three-game Wild Card series at Globe Life Field.

Chicago ended up playing the Houston Astros, whom they swept, but in the next round, they fell to the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series despite winning the first two games of the series on the road.

Still, Venable’s second season in charge of the White Sox will go down as a historic success as he became the sixth Manager of the Year award winner in franchise history.

Only three Rangers managers have ever brought home the award, with the last being Jeff Banister back in 2015.

Venable actually played for Banister that season as he appeared in 37 games with Texas, hitting .182 with three RBI.

Texas acquired Venable in a midseason trade with the San Deigo Padres that season in exchange for minor-league catcher/outfielder Marcus Greene Jr. and right-handed pitcher Jon Edwards.

Michael Choice was designated for assignment by the Rangers to make room for Venable on the roster at that time.