Former Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo joining White Sox as bench coach

The White Sox’ coaching staff will have a different look under new manager Pedro Grifol, including the addition of former Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo, who will be the Sox’ new bench coach, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times.

Montoyo provides managerial experience alongside Grifol, who will be a first-time manager. He replaced John Gibbons as Blue Jays manager after the 2018 season, was nominated for American League Manager of the Year with the Rays’ Kevin Cash and the Sox’ Rick Renteria in 2020 but was fired by the Jays on July 13 after the team started the season with a 46-42 record.

Indications are pitching coach Ethan Katz will return for his third season and assistant pitching coach Curt Hasler likely will be back for his seventh on the major-league staff. The status of other Sox coaches, including Miguel Cairo, is uncertain. The team’s baserunning woes, some of them glaring in key moments, put base coaches Joe McEwing and Daryl Boston under the microscope. McEwing (infielders) and Boston (outfielders) also oversaw the defensive side of an 81-81 team.

Boston would be entering his 11th season as first-base coach and 25th in the organization. McEwing would be entering his 12th season and, like Boston, has served under three managers with the Sox.

The Sox’ offense sagged last season, going from 11th to 22nd in the majors in homers and from third to 11th in on-base percentage, so hitting coach Frank Menechino and assistant hitting coach Howie Clark could be re-evaluated.

Montoyo will fill the spot held by Cairo, the bench coach the last two seasons who replaced Tony La Russa when La Russa stepped down for health reasons and was interviewed for the manager’s job.

“It’s going to be similar to how it’s been handled in the past with the managerial change,” general manager Rick Hahn said last month of possible staff changes.

“When the time comes to discuss staffing with the new manager and get his input, we are going to have opinions on how guys fit, and we expect the new hire to have his own opinion, as well, and own desire for what they are looking for in a coaching staff, and that will be weighted accordingly when the time comes.”