chicago_suntimes
The White Sox's unexpected success in 2026 has delivered several long-awaited developments for the franchise: multiple All-Star representatives, home playoff games at Rate Field, and now the possibility of losing key front-office personnel.
The Athletic reported that White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield is a candidate for the Houston Astros' general manager job, which has been vacant since the American League West champions dismissed Dana Brown in August.
Barfield, who joined the White Sox in September 2023 after serving as the Arizona Diamondbacks' director of player development, recently completed his third full season as an assistant GM in Chicago.
Near the end of that season, before the White Sox swept their Wild Card round in two games, Barfield was observed at Daikin Park in Houston engaged in an extended conversation with Astros owner Jim Crane.
Barfield has significant prior history with current White Sox directors of player development (Paul Janish) and the recently revamped department of acquisitions (Matt Grabowski), and he has wielded considerable influence in the team's recent shifts in both areas.
After the White Sox improved their major-league results by 19 wins in 2025 and then by 23 wins in 2026, Barfield drew consideration for potential promotions from other clubs last offseason as well.
"It's the best decision I could have ever made," Barfield said this spring about joining the White Sox. "Because I really believe in what we're doing."
The Sox are already working to fill one front-office gap this winter following amateur scouting director Mike Shirley's resignation in September, which sources said resulted from an internal investigation into his conduct.
In his media availability last week, White Sox general manager Chris Getz said the team plans to hire someone under the title director of amateur acquisitions.
League sources have indicated that the White Sox have been interviewing candidates for the role.
While Getz's major hires have tended to bring in new voices from other organizations—and he said in September that the Sox were exploring a different approach to amateur scouting—internal candidates, including at the scouting supervisor level, have also been interviewed.
Originally reported by chicago_suntimes.