Chicago White Sox have found their manager for 2023

With Tony La Russa currently unable to manage the Chicago White Sox due to health concerns, the team is playing some of their best baseball of the season under acting manager Miguel Cairo.

Did the Chicago White Sox accidentally find their best choice for a manager for the 2023 season?

Since La Russa was sidelined after leaving the team “at the discretion of his doctors” before the start of a series against the Kansas City Royals on August 30, Cairo has guided the Chicago White Sox to a 9-3 record heading into Sunday’s road series finale against the Oakland A’s. That run has helped pull the White Sox within 1.5 games of the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians and kept Chicago’s hopes for repeating as division champions very much alive.

There is plenty of talk about when La Russa might return to the bench, which could come as early as Tuesday when the White Sox open a two-game series at home against the Colorado Rockies. The question becomes what kind of impact could that return have on the momentum the White Sox have built with Cairo, someone who comes with a 17-year MLB playing career and has seemingly made an immediate impact on the fortunes of the South Siders.

It is not expected that La Russa will return to the bench in Chicago next season, with the Hall of Famer turning 78 on October 4. With that in mind, is Cairo’s recent run as acting manager an audition for next season? It very well could be and, with the White Sox rising toward the top of the division, it’s been a successful audition so far.

While Chicago fans are keeping an eye on the White Sox do this season, plenty are also wondering if Cairo will be the leader in the dugout in 2023 and beyond.