CHICAGO -- Since the end of April, Pedro Grifol has been addressing the disappointment that is and was the 2023 White Sox season.

With the campaign coming to an official close Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 loss to the Padres in 11 innings at Guaranteed Rate Field, the first-year manager summed up this dismal 61-101 showing one final time.

“Frustrating. Educational. Somewhat embarrassed,” Grifol said. “But hungry and committed to get it right.”

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So, how do the White Sox “get it right?” Well, there probably isn’t enough space to go through all that’s needed to be done, but general manager Chris Getz has a definitive plan. Call it a retool or even a rebuild, but the front office and Grifol are eager to tear up the script from this season and write another one, a better one.

“We want to win and we are not going to put a timetable on it,” White Sox director of player personnel Gene Watson said. “We are looking forward to rolling our sleeves up and going to work.”

There are a few other decisions needing to be made in the course of the upcoming five weeks:

Coaching staff
Getz has made clear Grifol will be back. There are a few ideas being discussed about the coaching staff, but Grifol didn’t share them Sunday. Those decisions could come down in the next week or so.

“It's a very sensitive issue,” Grifol said. “When you talk about the staff, you talk about people that have been here for a long, long time. 

“Unfortunately, this is a game that's predicated on wins and losses, so, obviously, every year this is a tough time of the year for staff. We'll talk more about that in the next few days. Right now, I don't want to share anything.”

Liam Hendriks and Tim Anderson 
The White Sox hold a $15 million club option on Hendriks’ contract, with a $15 million buyout to be paid in 10 annual installments of $1.5 million from 2024-33. The closer, who is in remission after an inspiring but tough battle with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is working through rehab following Tommy John surgery.

“I’d love to be back,” Hendriks said. “I have unfinished business here. I signed here to win. I think there’s a good core group that has an opportunity to win. There’s some definite avenues where we can improve. But I signed here to win and that’s the goal right now.”

Anderson’s contract has a $14 million club option and a $1 million buyout. He spoke on Saturday about being open to playing second base or his usual shortstop position after this tough season.

“I’m at a point where I continue to keep learning. I want to be around people who continue to keep teaching me,” Anderson said. “Continue to keep teaching me how to play the game and to help me. I’m still just so raw. I play because I know how to play, but I’m in the midst of understanding how to play. That’s all I want to do.”

When asked directly about Getz, Anderson said the new general manager has “a shot of making it better around here.” But understand, there’s plenty of work to do -- and then some.

Planning for a turnaround
Playing in the American League Central seems to be a lifeline for the White Sox. The 87 victories for the ’23 Twins mark the lowest total of any division champion in a full season since the 2009 Twins also won 87. That’s a 26-win jump for a White Sox squad that finished 40 games under .500.

Hope does exist. The White Sox moved six pitchers with some form of expiring contracts and third baseman Jake Burger, who is going to the playoffs with the Marlins, at the Trade Deadline, and some young players have impressed the veterans with their development.

“You got to realize you are going to fail,” said White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal, whose four-year run with the White Sox ended Sunday. “Understand how to minimize mistakes and how to look at a loss and turn it into a win.

“So they are well on their way. Hopefully, things turn around pretty soon here. I know they have the right guys to do it. There are quite a bit of guys here who have a bright future ahead of them.”

Planning for that future begins immediately.

“I'm committed, determined, excited to start this offseason with Chris and his staff and get this better, way better,” Grifol said. “It needs to get better.”