The Chicago White Sox hired Will Venable to take over as manager, turning to the former major league outfielder to help turn around the team after a miserable season, multiple sources reported. The White Sox hadn’t announced the move.

Venable, who turned 42 Tuesday, is stepping in for Pedro Grifol, who was fired in August with the White Sox on their way to breaking the modern major league record for most losses in a season. With Grady Sizemore serving as interim manager, the club finished with a 41-121 record.

Venable was an associate manager for Texas the past two years. He handled daily schedule items and outfield instruction as part of his duties with the Rangers, who won the World Series in 2023.

Venable was selected by San Diego in the seventh round of the 2005 amateur draft. The outfielder played for the Padres, Rangers and Dodgers in nine years in the majors, hitting .249 with 81 homers, 307 RBIs and 135 steals in 967 games.

After his playing career ended, Venable joined the Cubs’ front office in September 2017 as a special assistant to baseball operations. He also was on the team’s major league staff for three years, spending two seasons as the first base coach and one as the third base coach.

Venable also was the bench coach for Red Sox manager Alex Cora for two years before joining the Rangers.

Venable’s father, Max, played parts of 12 seasons in the majors, and also was a minor league manager and coach.

Soccer

Naomi Girma scored her first two international goals and the United States beat Argentina 3-0 in Louisville, Ky., in the team’s final match of the year on American soil.

It was the third match in six days for the United States, which also won the first two against Iceland. The matches were the first for the United States since the team won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics this past summer.

Girma, a defender, scored on a header in the 37th minute, then raised her arms as U.S. coach Emma Hayes applauded her. Girma played every minute of the Olympic tournament in France.

“The ball just fell right in front of me, it was so great,” Girma said. “I was like, I don’t think I can miss this. It fell right on my head.”

Girma played a role in an own goal that put the U.S. up 2-0 before halftime. She got a head on Rose Lavelle’s corner kick and the ball was deflected into the goal by Argentina’s Aldana Cometti.

Girma made it 3-0 with another header in the 49th minute. Afterward she ran to the sidelines and embraced former Stanford teammate Sophia Smith on the bench.

“I feel like anytime anyone gets their first goal, it’s always such a joy and the whole team gets excited,” Girma said. “So it was fun to get mine tonight.”

Hayes shook up the lineup against Argentina, resting players because of the final regular-season matches in the National Women’s Soccer League this weekend with playoff spots and seeding still on the line.

Three newcomers started: goalie Mandy Haught, Eva Gaetino and Alyssa Malonson. It was the first time in 23 years that three or more players started in their debuts for the national team.

The U.S. will close out the year with a pair of matches in Europe. They play England at Wembley on Nov. 30 before facing the Netherlands in The Hague on Dec. 3.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Florida will be without receiver Eugene Wilson III and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. against No. 2 Georgia on Saturday. The Gators (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) ruled both starters out due to unspecified injuries. Wilson ranked third on the team with 19 receptions for 266 yards and a touchdown. Marshall has been one of Florida’s top defensive backs, notching 20 tackles and a team-leading four pass breakups while starting all seven games.

TENNIS

Alexei Popyrin upset fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4) in the second round of the Paris Masters in a tense match with many ups and downs.

The 25-year-old Australian, who won his first Masters 1000 title in Montreal this summer, had lost his three previous matches versus the Russian.

Medvedev trailed 4-1 in the deciding set but broke back to force a tiebreaker in which Popyrin played more aggressively. Medvedev double-faulted to give Popyrin a match point and the Australian converted it at the net.

It was Medvedev’s third straight opening-round loss in Paris. He has not won a title this season.

A bad call from a line umpire which forced a point to be replayed in the eighth game of the deciding set left Popyrin furious but he recovered quickly and won the replay with a superb forehand volley to erase a break point.

“Stuff like that, I’m trying to let it fire me up rather than put me down,” Popyrin said. “It was tough to take, but it definitely fired me up after that, probably woke me up a little bit, and maybe I played a bit more free.”

Also, third-seeded Alexander Zverev saved a set point en route to a 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor. Jack Draper eliminated fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-4.

Eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov stayed in the race for the ATP Finals after rallying past Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7 (9), 6-3, 7-5.

Dimitrov, who saved all three break points he faced, is in 10th place in the race to earn a spot at next month’s ATP Finals, the year-end tournament gathering the top eight players of the season. Dimitrov could qualify if the reaches the final in Paris.

Although big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard lost to Karen Khachanov 6-7 (12), 6-1, 6-4, it was a good day for local players. French wild card Arthur Rinderknech progressed to the third round with a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7) win over Alex Michelsen. He was later joined by fellow Frenchmen Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils and Adrian Mannarino.

Also advancing to the third round was 13th-seeded Holger Rune. The former Paris Masters champion beat Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2.

TRACK AND FIELD

USA Track & Field is bringing the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field program in-house starting Jan. 1 as part of a partnership that will unite its athletes under one roof.

The sport’s national governing body announced that it’s taking over the Para track program from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The merger gives Para track and field athletes the same sort of access to the support and development as U.S. track and field athletes.

It’s a decision that comes on the heels of a successful performance at the Paris Games last summer. American track and field athletes captured 34 medals, including 14 gold, while U.S. track and field Paralympians hauled in 38 medals and 10 gold.

“With the USOPC and USATF joining forces for our Paralympics Track & Field National Team and development programs, we are setting the stage for unprecedented opportunity and development,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement. “We’ve committed to working toward this model of integration, because we know it will allow Para athletes to fully access a powerhouse of resources, support and training as they pursue excellence and represent Team USA.”

USATF becomes the 17th national governing body to house its Paralympic counterpart. In May 2023, U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced a similar move, bringing the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Para Snowboard Team onto its roster.

“This is an incredible moment for our sport,” Max Siegel, CEO of USATF, said. “USATF has a strong commitment to providing inclusive and comprehensive support, and by uniting our Olympic and Paralympic programs, we are setting the standard for what an integrated sports program can achieve. We believe the benefits of being one team will drive success on and off the field of play.”