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MLB Rumors: White Sox Manager Tony La Russa Expected to Announce Retirement on Monday
Oct 2, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 16: Chicago White Sox manager Tony LaRussa watches his team play from the dugout during a MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals on May 16, 2022, at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images),
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa will reportedly announce his retirement on Monday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
La Russa was planning to remain with the organization through 2023, but the strategy has changed after heart issues have kept him away from the team.
Chicago entered Sunday with a 78-80 record, good for second in the American League Central but not enough to compete for a playoff spot. It was a mark befitting a team that rarely strayed too far from mediocrity.
For La Russa, it didn't help that the team's performance improved once Miguel Cairo took over as interim manager.
The White Sox announced Aug. 30 that La Russa would miss what proved to be a 9-7 loss to the Kansas City Royals for health reasons. They followed up one day later to say his absence would be extended indefinitely, and Cairo continued to lead the squad as a result.
Chicago's uptick confirmed what many already believed: The franchise was going backwards under La Russa's watch.
Whatever goodwill the Hall of Famer established from helping Chicago win 93 games and claim a division crown in 2021 evaporated. Granted, there may not have been much goodwill to begin with.
The White Sox's decision to hire him in the first place was met with a lot of skepticism. The 77-year-old hadn't managed since 2011, and the game had changed a lot during the intervening years.
Beyond whether he could adjust to MLB's strategic trends and increased reliance on advanced metrics, the Yermin Mercedes saga almost immediately raised questions about his suitability within the clubhouse.
Late in a blowout victory over the Minnesota Twins in May 2021, the 29-year-old teed off on a 3-0 pitch from Willians Astudillo, who had been deputized as a pitcher with the score so one-sided. La Russa threw the hitter under the bus after the game rather than deflect any criticism away from his player, who was perceived to have run afoul of the unwritten rules.
The story eventually blew over, and there was plenty to celebrate as the White Sox returned to the postseason for the first time in a full 162-game season since 2008.
Still, the pace with which public opinion in the Windy City irrevocably turned against La Russa showed how little equity he carried over from the year before. By mid-June, he was drawing boos and calls for his ouster from the home fans.
It's difficult to list all of the puzzling tactical choices La Russa made this season, but here's a short summary.
In the sixth inning, he called for Trea Turner to be intentionally walked despite the player facing a 1-2 count. While that set up a lefty vs. lefty matchup for Max Muncy, the L.A. infielder proceeded to hit a three-run home run.
La Russa repeated the move in a 5-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 19.
His pitcher usage in an 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers in 12 innings on June 12 raised some eyebrows. He threw out rookie reliever Tanner Banks and appeared to be readying Dylan Cease for a possible relief opportunity only three days removed from a 110-pitch outing.
Tanner Banks, called up from Triple-A today and placed into a 3-3 game in the eighth against the heart of the order, has issued two walks to open the frame while Dylan Cease—yes—warms behind him. It’s a weird day out here.
The White Sox burned Monday's starter because today's starter got hurt in the first. They burned out the rest of their pen because their ace closer is hurt but still on the roster. And they lost after Robert tagged up to go to third when his run meant absolutely nothing. Ouch.
By mid-July, even the White Sox home broadcasters were at a loss to describe La Russa's on-field decisions at times.
A month later, the manager stood idly by as a visibly injured Luis Robert was reduced to swinging with one arm in an 11th-inning at-bat in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
It all added up to somebody who was out of his depth.
Judging a manager based on his team's performance can be tricky because there's a limit to which his input impacts a game. In the case of La Russa, it at least became increasingly difficult to believe he was making the White Sox better.
As much as a managerial change will be welcomed in Chicago, it may not be a panacea because Jerry Reinsdorf remains in charge.
Although the White Sox aren't dealing with the sort of rampant internal dysfunction that inevitably bleeds on to the field, the process that led to La Russa's hiring speaks to something that's fundamentally broken at the top.
It’ll never happen but #WhiteSox fans deserve to hear Jerry Reinsdorf explain or defend why he believes Tony LaRussa is the manager capable of leading this team to the World Series that remains the goal. It’s that bad, yes. It’s that indefensible given the way this devolved.
The team owner had a promising young roster that gave Chicago its best shot at contending in years, and he entrusted the clubhouse to a retired manager who was clearly a poor fit at the outset.
Even with the failed experiment with the White Sox, La Russa will still be recognized as one of the best managers of his generation. The Hall of Famer won three World Series titles—two with the St. Louis Cardinals and one with the Oakland Athletics—and totaled six pennants. He was also named Managers of the Year four times in this career.
Though he returned after his previous retirement in 2011, it's more likely this one is permanent.
White Sox Rumors: GM Rick Hahn 'Unlikely' to be Fired amid Team's Struggles
Sep 30, 2022
CHICAGO - APRIL 12: Chicago White Sox Senior Vice President and General Manager Rick Hahn addresses the media prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners on Opening Day at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn's job appears to be secure, at least for now.
Hahn is "unlikely" to be fired despite the team's struggles this season, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The White Sox are officially eliminated from playoff contention and sit second in the AL Central with a 77-79 record, a whopping 11 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians.
It's been a disappointing season for the White Sox. However, the team has struggled through a number of injuries to key players this year, including star shortstop Tim Anderson, outfielder Luis Robert, infielder Danny Mendick, catcher Seby Zavala, relievers Kyle Crick and Garrett Crochet and starter Michael Kopech.
The White Sox also had to work through the absence of manager Tony La Russa, who has been sidelined with a medical issue since the end of August. The team named Miguel Cairo its interim manager in his absence.
That said, there's no excuse for the team's lack of success under Hahn, who took over as general manager in 2013, replacing Kenny Williams.
After years of disappointment, Hahn enacted a full-blown rebuild during the 2017 season, trading Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, and two other minor league players. Moncada has never lived up to his status as a former No. 1 prospect, and while Kopech has mostly been solid, the White Sox were hoping he would be better.
In 2018, the White Sox finished with a 62-100 record, one of the worst in baseball. They improved slightly in 2019, finishing with a 72-89 record, and in 2020 they made the playoffs for the first time in 12 years after finishing 35-25 during the pandemic-shortened season.
The 2020 campaign marked Hahn's first postseason appearance as general manager of the White Sox, but the team lost to the Oakland Athletics in the wild card.
In 2021, the White Sox finished first in the AL Central with a 93-69 record, marking the first time since 2008 that the franchise won the division crown. It was also the team's first 90-win season since 2006.
At that point, Hahn's White Sox had made the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, but Chicago was eliminated by the Houston Astros in the divisional round of the playoffs
Now in 2022, the White Sox are back to being a non-playoff team, and something needs to be done about the club's lack of success. If Hahn isn't fired by season's end, he'll surely be on the hot seat entering 2023.
Tony La Russa Won't Return as White Sox Manager This Season After Heart Surgery
Sep 24, 2022
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa heads to the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa will not return to the team this season after undergoing surgery to repair his pacemaker, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Tony La Russa, as expected, will not return as manager with the Chicago #WhiteSox this season. His doctors advised him not to return this season after undergoing surgery to repair his pacemaker. He has one year remaining on his contract for 2023.
The White Sox confirmed that La Russa, who has been out since Aug. 31, will not return through a statement released Saturday. Miguel Cairo will remain the interim manager.
The 77-year-old La Russa, a three-time World Series champion and four-time manager of the year, is in his second season with the White Sox in his latest stint with the franchise.
La Russa also managed Chicago from 1979-1986 and led the team to the 1983 American League West crown and an American League Championship Series appearance.
As Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote, La Russa's status for 2023 is unclear at this time. He is under contract for the 2023 campaign after signing a three-year deal.
La Russa has largely been out of the public eye since leaving the team, but he did tweet congratulations to St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols after he hit his 700th career home run on Friday.
.@PujolsFive could always do everything a player can do to help his team. But right at the top of his talents was an amazing ability to produce in clutch pressure times. Like tonight!!
La Russa managed Pujols from 2001-2011 when both were with the Cardinals. They won a pair of World Series titles together.
As far as the present date goes, this year's White Sox team had playoff potential for much of the season, but Chicago has since slid eight games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first in the American League Central.
Their postseason hopes have all but been eliminated, although the team is still mathematically alive. The White Sox will look to break their four-game losing streak Saturday when they face the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Tony La Russa Says He's 'Uncertain' When He'll Return to White Sox amid Medical Issue
Sep 11, 2022
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 23: Manager Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox looks on against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 23, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Tony La Russa said Sunday that he's "uncertain" when he'll return to managing the Chicago White Sox amid a medical issue that has sidelined him since Aug. 30, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
La Russa, 77, has been dealing with heart-related complications and is still not cleared to manage.
La Russa received medical clearance to travel with the team to Oakland on Sunday because the A's are retiring Dave Stewart's No. 34, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. He managed Stewart and the A's to three AL pennants and a World Series title during his tenure with the franchise from 1986 to 1995.
La Russa will travel back with the White Sox to Chicago after Sunday's series finale.
With La Russa sidelined indefinitely, the White Sox named Miguel Cairo acting manager. The team has gone 9-3 under Cairo and is firmly in the American League playoff race with a 72-68 record.
While the White Sox are 6.5 games out of a wild-card spot, they sit second in the AL Central, 1.5 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians. They'll earn an automatic playoff bid if they win the division.
According to FanGraphs, Chicago has a 34.3 percent chance to win the division and a 35.4 chance to make the playoffs.
La Russa, a Hall of Fame manager, got his first MLB managing gig with the White Sox from 1979 to 1986. He then managed the A's for 10 seasons before being hired as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, serving in the role from 1996 to 2011 and leading the team to three NL pennants and two World Series titles.
After 10 years away from managing, the White Sox hired him in 2021. The team has gone 165-137 since he was rehired.
Tony La Russa Not Yet Cleared by Doctors to Return to Dugout as White Sox Manager
Sep 10, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 26: Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox looks over the dugout during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 26, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa will be with the team for Sunday's series finale against the Oakland Athletics, but not in his normal role.
The White Sox announced their medical staff has given La Russa approval to travel to Oakland to participate in Dave Stewart's retirement ceremony before tomorrow's game, but he is not yet medically cleared to manage games yet.
La Russa has been away from the team since Aug. 31 to undergo tests for an unspecified medical condition. Bench coach Miguel Cairo has filled in as interim manager in the 77-year-old's absence.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Sept. 8 that La Russa is hoping to return to his managerial duties with the White Sox "as early as next week" following an extensive medical checkup.
Friends of La Russa told Heyman the legendary skipper "is going to be OK."
After leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011, La Russa retired as a manager. He did continue to work in Major League Baseball in various roles for the league and teams.
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf convinced La Russa to come out of retirement in October 2020 to manage the team. He began his managerial career with the club when he replaced Don Kessinger midway through the 1979 season.
La Russa went 522-510 with one playoff appearance in nine seasons during his first run with the White Sox before being fired midway through the 1986 campaign.
Chicago won the American League Central for the first time since 2008 in La Russa's first season back with the club in 2021. The team lost to the Houston Astros in the ALDS.
Things haven't gone smoothly for the White Sox so far this season, but they are making a late charge up the AL Central standings. They have won eight of their last 10 games and trail the Cleveland Guardians by 1.5 games for first place in the division.
The White Sox play two home games against the Colorado Rockies early next week before beginning a four-game road trip starting on Sept. 15 at Cleveland.
Report: Tony La Russa Hoping to Return to White Sox as Soon as Next Week
Sep 8, 2022
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 23: Manager Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox looks on against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 23, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa is hoping to return to the team "as early as next week" after stepping away because of a medical issue, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The 77-year-old is hoping to be with the team for Sunday's road game against the Oakland Athletics that will feature a ceremony retiring the jersey of Dave Stewart. La Russa managed the pitcher during his time with the A's, winning the World Series together in 1989.
La Russa stepped away from the White Sox on Aug. 31 because of an unspecified medical condition.
"Following a medical evaluation [Wednesday] morning, Chicago White Sox Manager Tony La Russa now is scheduled over the coming days to undergo additional testing in Arizona by his personal physicians," the team said in a statement. "His absence from the club will be indefinite pending the results of these evaluations."
Miguel Cairo has served as the White Sox interim manager with La Russa unavailable, leading the team to a 6-3 record during this span. The squad has won all three series it's played to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Chicago entered Thursday with a 69-68 record, two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central. The team is 7.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot.
The White Sox begin their four-game series against the Athletics on Thursday before returning home for a two-game series against the Colorado Rockies starting Tuesday.
La Russa is in his second season as part of his second stint with Chicago, returning to the sport last year after a 10-year absence. He led the team to a 93-69 record in 2021, winning a division title before losing to the Houston Astros in the divisional series.
The Hall of Fame manager has won three World Series titles with six pennants in his career, which began with the White Sox in 1979.
MLB Rumors: White Sox SS Tim Anderson out 4-6 Weeks with Hand Injury
Aug 9, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 03: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox singles during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 03, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson will be sidelined between four and six weeks with a torn ligament in his hand, according to Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports and Stadium.
It's possible Anderson could need surgery to fix the issue, Dorsey added.
Anderson last played for the White Sox in an 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday, going 0-for-4 at the plate.
According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, Anderson suffered the injury on a check swing in his final at-bat during that game and returned home on Sunday to have his hand examined.
The 29-year-old missed Sunday's 8-2 win over the Rangers while serving the first of a two-game suspension for making contact with home plate umpire Nick Mahrley in a 7-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics on July 29.
He was due to miss the first game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday to serve the second game of his suspension.
It's been a decent season for Anderson. Before suffering the injury, he was slashing .301/.339/.395 with six home runs, 25 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 79 games. He earned the second All-Star Game selection of his career.
For comparison, Anderson hit .309/.338/.469 with 17 home runs, 61 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 123 games during the 2021 campaign.
With Anderson sidelined, Leury Garcia is a candidate to replace him at shortstop, though it's unclear who might see time in the lead-off spot. Garcia has played 12 games at shortstop this season
The White Sox are 55-53 entering Tuesday's doubleheader against the Royals. Anderson's injury comes at an unfortunate time for the franchise as it is just two games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins for the AL Central lead.
The earliest Anderson will return is the first week of September for a series against the Seattle Mariners. If he's sidelined for the full six weeks, he won't return until late September, when time is winding down in the regular season.
White Sox Star Tim Anderson's Suspension for Touching MLB Umpire Reduced to 2 Games
Aug 7, 2022
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 4: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox looks to throw the ball against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on August 4, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox will reportedly be without their All-Star shortstop for their next two games.
Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported Anderson reached a settlement with Major League Baseball and will be suspended two games for an incident that happened July 29. The original punishment was three games.
Umpire Nick Mahrley ejected Anderson from a July 29 game against the Oakland Athletics, prompting the shortstop to approach him and continue arguing about a strike call. Anderson's helmet made contact with Mahrley's cap, leading to the suspension.
That means Anderson will miss Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers and then the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals with Chicago having the day off Monday.
The 29-year-old has once again been a key piece in the White Sox's lineup and is slashing .301/.339/.395 with six home runs, 25 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 79 games. He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive year and also has the 2019 batting title on his resume.
While Anderson has been largely excellent, he and his team have dealt with some inconsistency of late.
He is 0 for his last 15, and Chicago is just 5-5 in its last 10 games. It dropped two of the first three in a four-game set against the Rangers and will look to salvage a split without his bat in the order Sunday.
The White Sox are in third place in the American League Central at 54-53, although they are just three games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins.
They are also three games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild-card spot, so having Anderson find his form again once he returns from his brief suspension figures to be important if they are going to make a playoff push down the stretch.
White Sox's Tim Anderson Suspended 3 Games for Making Contact with Umpire
Jul 30, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 29: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox is tossed from the game after apparent contact with umpire Nick Mahrley #48 in the seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 29, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been suspended three games for making contact with home plate umpire Nick Mahrley in Friday's 7-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.
Anderson is appealing the suspension and will be able to play until there's an official ruling.
After Anderson was ejected while contesting a high strike call, he appeared to bump into Mahrley's head with his helmet.
White Sox manager Tony La Russa was also tossed from the game.
It's no surprise Anderson got upset with the strike call as the White Sox were down 5-3 at the time. In addition, Chicago is in a tight battle for the AL Central lead, just three games behind the Minnesota Twins for first in the division.
Friday's loss saw the White Sox drop to 49-50.
La Russa supported his player after the game, via Gavin Good of the Associated Press (h/t Yahoo):
“I don’t think Tim cursed him or anything. If you don’t allow a player to be emotional, (and) you have a bunch of robots out here playing, that’s not entertaining. That at-bat, I thought the pitches were questionable. He got upset. I think you need to allow players to spark, as long as they don’t cross a line. And that thing escalated before Tim did anything. He’s fired up. That’s the way he plays. That’s the way you’re supposed to play.”
Anderson received a one-game suspension earlier this season for giving fans the middle finger during an April matchup against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. However, his punishment was reduced to just a fine after an appeal.
The 29-year-old is having another solid season in Chicago, slashing .310/.351/.414 with six home runs, 25 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 71 games.
If Anderson's suspension is upheld, the White Sox can turn to Leury Garcia at shortstop. However, he hasn't been nearly as effective this year, hitting .205/.230/.270 with three home runs, 17 RBI and one stolen base in 73 games.
