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The Chicago White Sox hired Kansas City Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol as their new manager on Thursday.

Grifol, 52, replaces Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who missed the final 34 games of this season because of health issues. The White Sox missed the playoffs and finished the campaign with an 81-81 record, 11 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central.

Grifol becomes the 42nd manager in franchise history and third in four seasons.

“Pedro is a bilingual, modern baseball thinker who brings two-plus decades of experience in a variety of roles,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “He is an excellent communicator and an experienced game planner who brings a high energy and detail-oriented approach to leadership. He is committed to building an inclusive and cohesive clubhouse, and we could not be happier to have Pedro leading our club.”

Grifol had served as a coach in the Royals organization since 2013 and interviewed for the opening in Kansas City. Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro was named Royals manager on Sunday.

Grifol played collegiately at Florida State and spent nine years in the minor leagues but never reached MLB as a player. He was an All-American catcher in 1991 with the Seminoles and played in the College World Series twice.

–Field Level Media