According to ESPN, Tony La Russa will manage the Chicago White Sox in 2022 according to a source.
Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson, White Sox players, had publicly lobbied for La Russa's return after Chicago was eliminated in Game 4 by the Houston Astros.
Anderson stated Thursday that he wanted him to return. "At end of the day my decision doesn’t really matter. It all depends on the opinions of the front office. ... He should be allowed in. He did an excellent job, I believe, with his openness and the way he handled things.
Abreu stated Wednesday that he was "pretty sure" La Russa would come back.
He won't leave us. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Abreu stated that he would be there for us.
Abreu also stated that he appreciated La Russa’s postgame comments, in which he claimed Abreu was "intentionally" hit by Astros reliever Kendall Graveman in Game 4.
It was a natural response. According to MLB.com, Abreu said that it was a natural reaction. "Tony tried to protect me and he always tries to protect us," Abreu said.
After Tuesday's White Sox season, La Russa was left wondering about his future. Afterward, he said that it was up to the management and then the players. He said that if they want him back, "you check to see if you have the desire to continue managing, so I do."
Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf lured La Russa from retirement to Chicago to manage the team that gave him his first managerial job in the major leagues. He hoped the three-time World Series champion could lead a team of stars to a strong October run.
La Russa hadn’t filled out a lineup since leading the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 to the World Series title. There were also questions about how his old-school style would fit with the team's new and vibrant stars like Anderson.
Anderson, who was named to his first All-Star team in this season's playoffs, stated that everyone thought they wouldn't get along. "But we talked behind the scenes all the time. He knows that the players are his priority and makes it known. "We are one family."
La Russa and Yermin Mercedes had a public dispute after he scolded Yermin for homering on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning of a 16-4 win over Minnesota in May.
The White Sox had one of the best lineups and most experienced pitching staffs in baseball. They won the AL Central by 13 games and won their first division title in 13 years. Their win total was their best since 2005 World Series champion team, which went 99-63.
John McGraw was second on the baseball's all time victories list, behind Connie Mack. La Russa steered the White Sox to their second consecutive playoff appearance. They hadn't made it to the postseason in consecutive years. They were defeated by Houston in convincing fashion in the 2020 wild-card round after being knocked out in Oakland by the Athletics.
Anderson stated, "I think that he did an excellent job coming in and being part of what we've tried to do." Anderson said, "I could not be happier than what he did." Everything was wonderful. Everyone was just getting along well with him. He did the right thing.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
