The Chicago White Sox have a chance to make another upgrade as they look to build on their emergence as one of the American League’s most exciting young teams.
Earlier this week, the club announced it would not renew John Schiffren‘s three-year contract, which expired at the end of the 2026 season. Schiffren’s departure leaves the White Sox searching for a new lead play-by-play announcer to join longtime analyst Steve Stone in the broadcast booth.
One of the most popular names being floated as a potential replacement is Connor McKnight, one of CHSN’s current on-field reporters.
McKnight is an excellent reporter who has filled in on several White Sox broadcasts. While he is serviceable as a play-by-play announcer, I find his style boring and lacking the energy needed to match the excitement on the field. Still, he is considered one of the favorites to land the job.
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Would I be up in arms if McKnight got the job? Absolutely not. He knows the organization inside and out and has put in the time to deserve serious consideration.
But the White Sox have emerged as one of the American League’s most exciting young teams, and CHSN’s ratings rose this season. If the organization wants to capitalize on that momentum, it can — and should — aim higher than a serviceable option in the broadcast booth.
My first choice is Connor Onion.
Onion is a La Grange native and Lyons Township High School graduate, giving him familiarity with both the Chicagoland area and the White Sox. That local connection could help him make a smooth transition and connect with a fan base that often grew frustrated with Schiffren’s perceived lack of knowledge of the franchise’s history and understanding of its fans.
More importantly, he’s damn good at his job.
Onion was recently promoted to Fox’s No. 2 college football broadcast team following Jason Benetti’s departure for NBC. He also calls national MLB games for Fox and occasionally fills in for Adam Amin on CHSN’s Chicago Bulls broadcasts.
His combination of national broadcasting experience and local roots makes him an appealing candidate. He would bring an established résumé to the role while still offering the connection to Chicago that many fans value.
Amin would also be an excellent choice, albeit a potentially difficult one to land. He has a terrific broadcasting voice and has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to strike the right tone for the moment, whether calling a routine regular-season game or a high-stakes finish. Alongside Stacey King, he has also helped make several otherwise forgettable years of Bulls basketball entertaining.
Amin’s existing commitments could complicate a move to the White Sox. As the voice of the Bulls, he already has a major role in Chicago sports, while his national MLB and college football assignments for Fox add to his workload. The Bulls’ shorter season also gives him more flexibility to pursue those other opportunities.
Still, Amin might not be entirely out of the picture. MLB.com’s Scott Merkin indicated that Amin could have a smaller role in the White Sox broadcast, depending on who gets the lead job. Even if he isn’t the primary play-by-play voice, his involvement could be a valuable addition to the broadcast team.
Another intriguing candidate is Wayne Randazzo, who offers a similar combination of local ties and national experience to Onion.
Randazzo was born in Chicago, attended St. Charles East High School and graduated from North Central College. He currently serves as the Los Angeles Angels’ lead play-by-play announcer and has also filled in on Bulls broadcasts.
His work has received positive recognition, too. In Awful Announcing’s annual local broadcaster rankings, which are based on letter grades submitted by more than 9,000 respondents, Randazzo and the Angels’ broadcast team ranked 10th in 2025.
Although the booth slipped to 15th in the 2026 rankings, Randazzo still earned praise for keeping the broadcasts entertaining despite the team’s struggles. He was described as a “sharp professional.”
That ability to remain engaging through difficult seasons could be particularly valuable for a White Sox franchise still working to establish itself as a consistent contender. Randazzo would bring experience as a team’s lead announcer, along with the local connection that could help him resonate with Chicago fans.
The final candidate on the list, Karl Ravech, is the only one without a local connection to Chicago. While he lacks the hometown appeal of Onion, Amin and Randazzo, his résumé is arguably the most impressive of the group.
For more than 30 years, Ravech was a fixture at ESPN before leaving the network amid its sweeping layoffs in July.
Ravech joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in 1993 before eventually becoming one of the network’s leading baseball play-by-play announcers. For years, he was the voice of Monday Night Baseball, bringing stability, professionalism, and class to the broadcast booth.
His deep knowledge of the game is another major selling point. Ravech’s calls have long felt effortless, in large part because of his command of the game and familiarity with its players. That knowledge would make him an excellent fit alongside Stone, who has forgotten more about baseball than most fans will ever know.
Ravech might not have the same local ties as the other candidates, but his experience and baseball acumen would make him a compelling choice for a franchise looking to elevate its broadcasts.
The White Sox have an opportunity to make a statement with this hire. After years of frustration, the team is giving fans more reasons to tune in, and the broadcast booth should reflect that renewed excitement. Simply promoting a familiar face might be the easiest route, but the organization should prioritize a voice capable of making an increasingly competitive team even more entertaining to watch.
