The Chicago White Sox set a modern record for losses with a 41-121 record in 2024. In the aftermath, perhaps there's a shakeup at the highest levels of the team. Long-time owner Jerry Reinsdorf is "open to selling" the team, according to The Athletic.
Reinsdorf, 88, was the leader of a group that purchased the White Sox for a now-meager $20 million in 1981. He has long been known as the principal owner of the White Sox and controls about 19% of the ballclub, per Forbes. The White Sox are now estimated to be worth $2.05 billion, according to Forbes.
Reinsdorf also owns the NBA's Chicago Bulls and has long been said to be averse to selling his stake in either team. While it's unclear what changed, he is in "active discussions" with a group of prospective buyers led by former MLB All-Star Dave Stewart, according to The Athletic.
Stewart, 67, played in the majors for parts of 16 seasons, finishing in the top five of Cy Young voting four times, winning three World Series rings and three postseason MVPs, including the 1989 World Series MVP. In his post-playing career, Stewart has been an agent and served as the general manager of the Diamondbacks. He's also been part of groups that tried to buy the Marlins and A's. More recently, he's been active with a group trying to land an expansion team in Nashville. Coincidentally, the White Sox under Reinsdorf have threatened to move to Nashville before.
As a reminder, it was just last year when Reinsdorf said the following while introducing then-new GM Chris Getz:
"Friends of mine have said, 'Why don't you sell? Why don't you get out?' My answer always has been, 'I like what I'm doing, as bad as it is, and what else would I do? I'm a boring guy. I don't play golf. I don't play bridge. And I want to make it better before I go.'"
This came, of course, before the record-breaking 2024 season.
Reinsdorf has also been pushing for a new stadium in Chicago with, of course, a ton of local taxpayer dollars involved in the bill.
Toward the end of the historically bad 2024 White Sox season, Reinsdorf issued the following statement:
"This year has been extremely painful for all, especially our fans. We did not arrive here overnight, and solutions won't happen overnight either. Going back to last year, we have made difficult decisions and changes. Those changes have continued this summer, and we look forward to naming a new manager with new energy this fall."
Under the ownership of Reinsdorf, the White Sox won the 2005 World Series, snapping a drought that traced back to the Black Sox scandal, but they have only made the playoffs seven times. Since that World Series, they've only played in three postseasons and haven't advanced a single round.
