Tony La Russa should not return to Chicago White Sox in 2023 either

The Chicago White Sox announced the inevitable on Saturday.

The 77 year old manager has been away from the team due to medical reasons. On Saturday, the White Sox announced that, due to the advice of his doctors, La Russa will not return for the rest of the year.

Chicago White Sox have their out with Tony La Russa

One can understand why he will not be back. The White Sox mentioned that La Russa had undergone additional tests and procedures over the past week before that determination was made. Considering that he needed his pacemaker to be repaired and to stay away from even watching White Sox games, this should not be a surprise.

At the same time, this does nothing to clarify his status for 2023. La Russa is under contract for next year as well, a theoretical 78 year old manager with serious health issues who needs to avoid stressful situations right now. While he could be cleared by spring training or Opening Day next year, that is not a recipe for success.

It is also fair to wonder if, even had he remained healthy, La Russa would have been the right person for the job going forward. The White Sox had not exactly responded well to his guidance as they showed more life and fire under interim manager Miguel Cairo. They are still going to miss the postseason and will need to find answers to several issues in the offseason.

La Russa is one of those issues. However, they have a way out. He can remain in the organization in an advisory role, being a part of the front office and serving in various functions. This way, the White Sox can still tap into his experience and knowledge of the game without his being on the bench. It is better for both La Russa’s health and for the morale of the roster that he moves on.

Tony La Russa will not return to the Chicago White Sox bench this season. At this point, it may be best for him to head back to an advisory role.