AL DIVISION SERIES: WHITE SOX VS GUARDIANS

October 5, 2026

Will Venable

Progressive Field

Chicago White Sox

Postgame 2 Press Conference

White Sox 4 - Guardians 3

Q. You guys will head back to Chicago up 2-0. When you look back one, specifically, what strikes you about the early parts of this game that helped you guys get out of tougher situation?

WILL VENABLE: Yeah. I mean, first of all, as we evaluated their lineup, our game plan changed a little bit, in which we had Kay starting and then we went Newc behind him, some combination of Kay plus Newc to get through DeLauter the second time and then go ahead and pop Burke in there.

Obviously we talked all series about these guys. And if you give them passes, they make you pay for it. That happened there early. So we switched over to Newc pretty quickly there. He did a nice shot of settling things down. It just turned into one of those games.

Q. What did Shawn show you here tonight?

WILL VENABLE: Good stuff. That was outstanding. I thought really started with the fastball with him. He attacked in the zone, really enforcing the fastball specifically and challenged guys who got a swing and a miss, who got weak contact, really aggressive, really impressive stuff.

Q. Montgomery has been taking a lot better swings from right side, especially lately. What have you seen about his either approach from that side or just kind of the results from the last three weeks?

WILL VENABLE: Results over the past weeks, he has worked extremely hard and is very committed to this process. He works extremely hard on both sides of the plates, gives himself a chance.

I know throughout the season, specifically on the right side, it has been a little bit more of a struggle for him, but he's continued to grind. Obviously that is huge swing right there. We have seen him do that and use the opposite field really well on both sides of the plate. Obviously a huge at bat to come through there with that double.

Q. You mentioned the back and forth affair that you guys have. The one-run ballgames, but to be able down 2-0 and kind of trickle your way back into this one, what does that say about your group?

WILL VENABLE: It's the same stuff we have seen all year from this group. There is no stopping. There is just this mentality that we're going to go out and going to play all nine innings, all 27 outs, whatever happens happens. There's no let down or no discouragement from our group.

They just continue to fight and battle. Gavin was obviously really, really sharp there. And like you mentioned, there was going to be a grinding kind of game against him and I thought did a good job in some of those middle innings, creating a little bit of a heavier load for him to deal with and obviously we were able to bounce them out of there in the sixth.

Q. (Indiscernible) I was wrong. What makes you so confident in a rookie like that who hadn't hit all season consistently in such a big situation like that to put him in a lineup in playoff games? What gives you such confidence in him?

WILL VENABLE: I think that he's a guy that is not going to shy away from the moment. First of all, I mentioned how you hard he works and puts himself in a good spot. He is a really dynamic player.

As you're evaluating your best nine on a given day, you know it is just not what happens at the plate, it's defensive ability. It's base running. Really everything.

And also at the same time, what we have in Grichuk as a bullet off the bench and how valuable that is, it all culminates into trusting the player and really again putting the nine best guys out there to get the job done.

Q. Congratulations on the win. What can you share about just the dialogue with Grant about with his ability today and how and why it worked?

WILL VENABLE: Yeah. I mean, that was a big question coming in here today and where he was going to be at. We had him earmarked for one inning there and kind of joked in the pregame meeting that there was going to be a time in which a one plus was going to be something that wanted to do.

As good as Burked was, I thought, the best thing to do was to play Grant. And obviously after he was able to get that out, he felt good enough to go back out there. So I know we're pushing these guys, Grant especially. It is really a lot to ask, but he's in shape for this. He's ready for this and he wants the ball.

Q. With Shawn being a starter, what are the aspects of getting him ready in a game and what about his skill set makes him so adaptable and able to go through his starter routine as the relievers are getting those early innings?

WILL VENABLE: The things we have done all year. You know, so he is used to it. He has done it before. I think we have seen him pitch exceptionally well when we do use guys in front of him.

I am not sure if there is something in his routine or that he is mad at me or where he's not starting the game, but he definitely responds in those situations. So whatever it is in his pregame routine, he's able to get to the best version of himself whether he's starting or coming after somebody.

Q. What stood out to you about Chase's at bat to get the big tack on there as well?

WILL VENABLE: Really good job there, obviously using the withhold field. He's been a guy for us that whether it is a leftie or righty, he is coming up with really big hits. He has a really clear plan that he wants to do out there. Obviously using the whole field, it is something that is part of his game.

We've seen him go through spots where it is pool-side damage. I think we if we go back to last year and we saw more of the kind of short stroke to the opposite field, he has added to his game this year, but he's got that club in the bag so he can let the ball travel and use the whole field, and obviously good fast ball, really good slider, kind of right field approach at the appropriate one there and it paid off.

Q. Baseball is game of momentum. You win the Wild Card. You come here in here and beat Parker and then Gavin. What type of confidence is your ball club rolling with right now?

WILL VENABLE: Yeah. I think our club has been confident the entire year. I think what's special about us of regardless of the previous day's results, that they come ready to play the next day. And I'm not sure that there is momentum for us. We really do do a good job of turning the job of turning the page, whether it's a good day or bad day or previous day. These guys come ready to play. I'm just really excited to get the job done.

I think that's a really special characteristic of our group to kind of dissociate with yesterday with our results.

Q. Every team is chasing velocity. Pitchers are chasing the same pitching. It is like everybody is playing the same way. What are the margins that you can exploit?

WILL VENABLE: You gotta have guys that can do different things. I think that starts with the hitting group, doing a great job of game planning, fast speed to pitches in the middle of the plate. Then you have to get to some other clubs in the bag too, if that is something you need to do.

And certainly with the talented arms that the Guardians have, it is not just getting a good swing, you have to adjust. You have to be willing to do different things at different times and especially about the dynamic arms that they have, lefties, righties. They have different things going different directions. You gotta find different ways to beat them.

Q. How excited are you to be in Chicago for game three?

WILL VENABLE: Yeah. Very excited. Nice to have this one here. Really excited to be able to give this prop to our baseball fans.

And speaking of our fans, being in a environment like this and having some fans here, who we can hear and give us energy was really special for our guys. I think they really responded all year, fans certainly on the road and especially our fans at home as well.