Hall of Famer Tony La Russa announced on Monday that he is stepping down as the manager of the Chicago White Sox. La Russa said that the health issues he faced in recent months prompted him to make this tough decision.
La Russa, who was under contract with the White Sox through 2023, previously left the team in late August after doctors recommended further testing on the heart problem he had. The 78-year-old previously underwent pacemaker implantation in early 2022.
“At no time this season did either issue negatively affect my responsibilities as White Sox manager,” La Russa said in a team-released statement. “However, it has become obvious that the length of the treatment and recovery process for this second health issue makes it impossible for me to be the White Sox manager in 2023.”
Tony La Russa is considered one of the greatest managers in baseball history. He won one World Series with the Oakland Athletics and two with the St. Louis Cardinals before retiring in 2011. After a decade away from MLB, La Russa was convinced by the White Sox to take over the team for the second time ahead of the 2021 season.
In his first season with the White Sox, La Russa led the team to the AL Central title but failed to get past the AL Division Series in the playoffs. The 2022 season proved to be much more challenging for La Russa as the team struggled for the better part of the campaign. The Chicago team was 63-65 when he took a leave of absence.
