The Chicago White Sox officially named Pedro Grifol as their new manager on Thursday, replacing Tony La Russa, who retired last month.

Grifol, 52, spent the past 10 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, most recently as bench coach. During Grifol's time with the Royals, the team won two American League pennants, and were World Series champions in 2015.

"Pedro is a bilingual, modern baseball thinker who brings two-plus decades of experience in a variety of roles – bench coach, hitting coach, winter ball and minor league manager, director of player development and scout," said Rick Hahn, White Sox general manager/senior vice president. "He is an excellent communicator and an experienced game planner who brings a high energy and detail-oriented approach to leadership. He is committed to building an inclusive and cohesive clubhouse, and we could not be happier to have Pedro leading our club." 

Grifol also interviewed for Kansas City's managerial opening, but the Royals hired Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro instead.

Before joining the Royals as a hitting coach in 2013, Grifol spent 13 seasons with the Seattle Mariners as a minor league coach and manager, and a scout.