CHICAGO — It may have been Yogi Berra who is credited with uttering the phrase, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” but it was Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks who emphasized that saying when asked on Tuesday about the legacy of Tony La Russa on the south side of Chicago.
When asked to reflect on the career of Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa, closer Liam Hendriks quickly shut down the question
La Russa has not been the team’s active manager since health concerns pushed him away from the dugout on August 30. Since then, the team has been on a roll under acting manager Miguel Cairo, going 9-4 under Cairo’s watch before Tuesday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies.
The veteran manager is already a Hall of Famer, so it’s tough to add more accolades to his long and storied managerial resume. However, for anyone who thinks La Russa isn’t returning to the dugout this season, the 33-year-old Hendriks is quick to differ.
“I don’t really reflect until it’s over, and it’s not over,” Hendriks said of La Russa’s time leading the Chicago White Sox. “We’re more concerned with his health right now and making sure that he is healthy and capable and in the best shape that he can be.
“When he comes back into the dugout, whenever that is … the big thing is making sure he gets healthy and gets into the right space needed to be able to do what this team needs him to do.”
With Chicago’s playoff odds increasing to 22.9 percent before Tuesday’s game, plenty are wondering about what the impact of a La Russa return could mean to Chicago’s recent momentum. However, sitting just three games behind division-leading Cleveland, Hendriks believes the White Sox are in a good position to return to the postseason, no matter who is at the helm.
“At the end of the day, if it’s now, it’s better late than never because we’re still within striking distance,” Hendriks said. “We still have an opportunity. We still have enough games against the teams that we play against to try and make a real run at this.”