Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor reckless driving on Monday and was sentenced to a day of home detention, a $1,383 fine and 20 hours of community service, according to Jon Seidel and Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

La Russa was arrested in February after a witness saw his vehicle swerving on the road and called police. He registered a 0.095 blood alcohol concentration, above the legal limit (0.08).

La Russa told the arresting officer that he was "coming from a dinner with my friends with the California Angels baseball team" and that he was calling AAA after having a tire blow out.

"Do you see my ring?" La Russa reportedly asked the officer, adding, "I'm a Hall of Famer baseball person... I'm legit. I'm a Hall of Famer, brother. You're trying to embarrass me."

The White Sox released the following statement Monday:

Maricopa County Justice Court spokesman Scott Davis said Monday that "plea agreements like this, which seem to come with reduced fines or jail terms, are very common and would have presumably nothing to do with a person's status in the community."

La Russa, 76, was hired by the White Sox on Oct. 29. It came as something of a surprise seeing as La Russa last managed in 2011 and was not widely praised given La Russa's time away from the game:

The Hall of Famer has a career 2728-2365 record, with six World Series trips and three World Series titles on his resume. He is also a four-time American League Manager of the Year Award winner. But his tenure in Chicago has gotten off to a rocky start.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving in relation to his DUI arrest in Phoenix earlier this year.

According to James Fegan of The Athletic, the guilty plea is part of a deal with the Maricopa County Justice Court that allows La Russa to avoid pleading guilty to driving under the influence.

Fegan noted that the plea comes with a one-day jail sentence, although the state is "not opposed" to work release or home detention instead if a judge approves it.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Paula Lavigne and Charlie Moynihan, La Russa was arrested in February after a traffic stop.

According to court documents, La Russa was approached by police after allegedly hitting a curb with his vehicle and told the officers he was departing a dinner with members of the Los Angeles Angels organization. La Russa was an adviser for the Angels at the time.

Police said La Russa was "argumentative" and refused to take a breath test or submit a blood sample. After a warrant was obtained, La Russa submitted a sample, and it returned a blood-alcohol content of .093 percent, which is above the legal limit of .08 percent.

It marked La Russa's second DUI arrest, as he was previously arrested on those grounds in 2007 when he was manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The White Sox said they were aware of La Russa's February DUI arrest when they hired him as their new manager to replace Rick Renteria in October.

La Russa's hiring raised some eyebrows since the 76-year-old had not managed since retiring from the position with the Cardinals in 2011.

Since then, La Russa has served in a front office and advisory role for multiple teams, although it seemed unlikely that he would ever manage again.

In La Russa, the White Sox hired a Baseball Hall of Famer with three World Series titles, six World Series appearances, 2,728 regular-season wins and four Manager of the Year Awards to his credit.

La Russa will take the reins of a White Sox team that went 35-25 in the COVID-shortened season of 2020 and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Free-agent outfielder Adam Eaton officially agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Chuck Garfien of NBC Sports Chicago first reported Eaton and Chicago were in agreement on Tuesday.

Eaton, 32, became a free agent on Oct. 28 after the Nats declined their 2021 team option. He hit .226 last season with four home runs and 17 RBI in 41 games. His .669 OPS was his lowest mark since 2013.

The nine-year veteran has played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and Nationals, winning the 2019 World Series as Washington's starting right fielder.

Eaton's best years have come in D.C., hitting a career-high .301 in 2018 before smacking a career-high 15 home runs in 2019. He also enjoyed a fantastic World Series performance against the Houston Astros, hitting .320 with a .993 OPS thanks in part to a pair of home runs.

He added six RBI and notably hit a two-RBI single to give the Nats a 6-2 lead and some breathing room against the Astros in the top of the ninth inning in Game 7 of their World Series-winning campaign.

Eaton also hit a solo home run off Astros ace Justin Verlander to knot Game 6 at two runs apiece in the top of the fifth inning. Washington eventually won 7-2.

The outfielder notably led the league in triples in 2014 and 2016 while with the White Sox. He stole 47 bases during his time on the South Side, as well.

Without Eaton, the Nats have a few options, but Michael A. Taylor stands as the most obvious in-house choice.

The seven-year MLB veteran played the second-most games in right field last year with 11. The 29-year-old struggled at the dish with a .196 batting average but did hit five home runs with 16 RBI in 99 plate appearances.

The Nats are set at the other two outfield spots with left fielder Juan Soto and center fielder Victor Robles. The team can also look toward a plentiful outfielder free-agent market, which includes the Astros' George Springer and Michael Brantley, the Atlanta Braves' Marcell Ozuna and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Joc Pederson.

Eaton will likely slot into right field for the White Sox after Nomar Mazara posted a .228/.295/.294 slash line in 42 games last season. The veteran outfielder also had a rough 2020, but he hit .289/.367/.423 in the previous six years combined. 

Given the depth of talent already in Chicago's lineup, adding Eaton to the mix only solidifies the team's chances of returning to the playoffs after losing in the AL Wild Card Round to the Oakland Athletics. 

After a breakout 2020 season, the Chicago White Sox could boost their outfield production with three free agents reportedly on their radar.  

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Michael Brantley, Joc Pederson and Adam Eaton are being looked at by the south siders. 

The White Sox already took a big swing on Monday when they acquired Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Dane Dunning and a prospect, as ESPN's Jeff Passan reported. 

Lynn has been one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball since 2019, with top-six finishes in American League Cy Young voting in each of the past two seasons. The right-hander will slot into the rotation with Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel to make a formidable trio.

Chicago's offense doesn't have many flaws after scoring the fifth-most runs in MLB last season (306). Right field was a problem, as Nomar Mazara managed just a .228/.295/.294 slash line in 42 games. 

Brantley is the best hitter of the White Sox's potential targets. The 33-year-old hit .300/.364/.476 in 46 games with the Houston Astros in 2020. He's played left field for his entire career, so either he or Eloy Jimenez would have to switch positions to make the defensive alignment work. 

Eaton and Pederson would likely be low-cost, high-upside bets for the White Sox. Both players posted sub-.700 OPS totals last season.

Pederson is one year removed from slugging .538 with 36 homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Eaton had six straight seasons with an on-base percentage over .360 from 2014-19. 

Chicago made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008. It has the reigning AL MVP in Jose Abreu and a core of talent that includes Jimenez, Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert and Nick Madrigal. 

The White Sox are already a World Series contender in the AL, but adding one more quality hitter in the outfield could be enough to push them over the top. 

The Chicago White Sox have acquired starter Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers in exchange for pitchers Dane Dunning and Avery Weems.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Chicago "also had been discussing a Sonny Gray deal with the [Cincinnati] Reds but pivoted toward Lynn."

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the New York Yankees were not involved in the Lynn sweepstakes.

Lynn was one of the few bright spots for an underachieving Rangers team (22-38), making him one of the hottest trade targets on the market ahead of the August 31 deadline. Texas held onto him anyway. In 13 starts last season, Lynn posted a 3.32 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 89 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched.

The 33-year-old is under contract for one more year and is slated to earn $9.3 million next season, making him an attractive front-line option for any contender needing starting depth. 

Given the Rangers' farm system is ranked No. 21 in baseball by MLB Pipeline, using Lynn to help restock their minor leagues became another justifying factor in seeking a trade. 

Lynn's postseason experience makes him a worthwhile addition for the White Sox. The 2011 World Series winner has a 4.80 ERA over 54.1 innings pitched in the playoffs. During that stretch, he struck out 52, walked 28 and gave up six home runs. 

The trade takes one of the top players available off the market and gives Chicago a stronger postseason case heading into the 2021 campaign.

The Chicago White Sox are not expected to be among the "large group" of teams to pursue George Springer in free agency. 

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the White Sox are "extraordinarily unlikely" to sign Springer, perhaps the premier bat in this free-agent class. The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets are expected to be among Springer's top suitors and are likely flush with enough cash to push Chicago out of the running, if they even pursue him.

Springer is unlikely to return to the Houston Astros, his home for his first seven MLB seasons. The 2017 World Series MVP hit .265/.359/.540 with 14 home runs and 32 runs batted in 51 appearances last season. A strong power bat who is also a solid fielder, Springer has finished in the top 15 of MVP balloting in three of the last four seasons. He has also accounted for no less than 1.9 wins above replacement in any of his MLB seasons, per FanGraphs.

Josh Reddick and Michael Brantley are also free agents for the Astros, who spent most of last season as baseball's public enemy No. 1 amid the fallout from their sign-stealing scandal. It's possible that all three guys will look or a change of scenery to get out from under the spotlight.

Patrick Creighton of ESPN 97.5 Houston (h/t RealGM) reported in October that Springer does not want to return to Houston.

Passan's reported that the White Sox could be among the suitors for Bradley, who would fill their need for a left-handed bat in the lineup.

Springer will likely head to the highest bidder and become the highest-paid player of this free-agency period, which is happening with several clubs facing a financial pinch because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The charges related to Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa's arrest for driving while intoxicated were refiled Monday in Chandler, Arizona. 

James Fegan of The Athletic reported the news, noting a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO) and La Russa's attorney, Larry Kazan, confirmed the charges were refiled after the MCAO granted a motion to dismiss them on Friday.

Both the spokesperson and Kazan said the case was initially misfiled, which led to the dismissal and refiling.

Fegan noted the White Sox issued a statement on the arrest and charges last week after officially hiring La Russa on Oct. 29.

"Tony deserves all the assumptions and protections granted to everyone in a court of law, especially while this is a pending matter," the statement read. "Once his case reaches resolution in the courts, we will have more to say. The White Sox understand the seriousness of these charges."

La Russa, who was also arrested for driving while intoxicated in 2007 when he was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, was arrested on Feb. 24. Jeff Passan, Paula Lavigne and Charlie Moynihan of ESPN reported the police officer described him as "argumentative."

The ESPN report also pointed out the case was initially filed on Oct. 28, which was one day before the White Sox officially hired La Russa.

Last Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today cited a high-ranking team official who said the manager's job was not in jeopardy.

Chicago's decision to hire the 76-year-old La Russa was a surprise even before this case became public knowledge. While he is a Hall of Famer with three World Series titles, he also hasn't managed since the 2011 season.

The Chicago White Sox released a statement Thursday regarding the driving under the influence charge manager Tony La Russa is facing. 

Per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, the statement read:

"As Tony La Russa's attorney said in his statement, Tony deserves all the assumptions and protections granted to everyone in a court of law, especially while this is a pending matter. Once his case reaches resolution in the courts, we will have more to say. The White Sox understand the seriousness of these charges."

ESPN's Jeff Passan, Paula Lavigne and Charlie Moynihan obtained court records this week showing that La Russa was charged with DUI after he allegedly hit a curb with his car in Phoenix in February.

The White Sox announced the hiring of the 76-year-old La Russa as their new manager two weeks ago.

Per Passan, Lavigne and Moynihan, a police affidavit stated that La Russa told police on Feb. 24 that he had just departed a dinner with friends from the Los Angeles Angels, who he was working for as a special advisor.

La Russa was described as  "argumentative" and refused to take a breath test or submit a sample of his blood. After the police obtained a search warrant, they took his blood and noted that the blood-alcohol content came back as .093 percent, which is above the legal limit of .08 percent.

It marked La Russa's second DUI arrest, as he was previously arrested for DUI in 2007 while he was managing the St. Louis Cardinals.

When news of La Russa's February DUI arrest first became public, the White Sox said they were aware of the charge before hiring him.

La Russa has not managed since retiring after leading the Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011, which is what made his hiring in Chicago so surprising.

He previously managed the White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Cardinals, winning three World Series in that role. Since retiring from managing, La Russa has served as an executive and advisor for multiple teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox and Angels.

La Russa will take over a White Sox team that went 35-25 last season. Chicago finished one game behind the Minnesota Twins for the American League Central title and reached the playoffs.

After the White Sox were eliminated by the Athletics in the AL Wild Card Series, Chicago fired manager Rick Renteria.

More details about Tony La Russa's February arrest in Phoenix on a charge of driving under the influence have been released. 

Per the arrest report obtained by ESPN's Jeff Passan, La Russa tried to use his Major League Baseball credentials with the arresting officer.

"Do you see my ring?" La Russa said. "I'm a Hall of Famer baseball person. I'm legit. I'm a Hall of Famer, brother."

On Monday, Passan, Paula Lavigne and Charlie Moynihan reported that La Russa was charged with DUI for allegedly running his car into a curb and "leaving it smoking" on the side of the road in the Phoenix area on Feb. 24.

A spokesman with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office told ESPN that "there was a delay caused by initially filing it in the wrong jurisdiction."

The case was filed in Maricopa County Justice Courts on Oct. 28. La Russa was named manager of the Chicago White Sox the following day.  

A spokesman for the White Sox told Passan they were aware of La Russa's DUI charge when he was hired by the organization. 

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, a high-ranking White Sox official said La Russa "is in no danger of losing his job, or receiving any discipline by the club."

La Russa, 76, hasn't managed since retiring from the St. Louis Cardinals after the 2011 season.

He has remained around Major League Baseball over the past 10 years, including stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2014-17) as chief baseball officer and Boston Red Sox (2018-19) as vice president and special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. 

La Russa began his managerial career with the White Sox from 1979-86. 

Newly hired Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa was charged with driving under the influence stemming from an arrest in February.

Jeff Passan and Paula Lavigne of ESPN reported the news Monday, noting La Russa allegedly ran his car into a curb and was cited months later for driving under the influence and registering a blood-alcohol content of .08 or more in Arizona.

A "high-ranking White Sox official" told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that La Russa was not in any danger of losing his job or being disciplined by the team.

While he could face up to 10 days in jail if convicted on the misdemeanor, DUI criminal defense attorney Michael Munoz said most first-time offenders in Arizona serve one day and pay a fine. Notably, La Russa would not be considered a repeat offender under Arizona law even though he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI in Florida in 2007 because it was more than seven years ago.

The most recent case was filed on Oct. 28, which was one day before the White Sox officially hired him.

"I have nothing to say," La Russa said when asked about the latest incident.

According to Passan and Lavigne, a peace officer said La Russa was "argumentative" and refused to submit to a breath test or provide blood or urine to test his blood-alcohol level. However, the officer took two tubes of the manager's blood after obtaining a search warrant.

Chicago shocked the baseball world when it hired the 76-year-old, who has not managed since the 2011 season.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014, has three World Series titles and won four Manager of the Year Awards. He managed the White Sox from 1979 to 1986, the Oakland Athletics from 1986 to 1995 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1996 to 2011.

La Russa has a 2,728-2,365 record.