Sad news. Due to his wife, the head coach of Chicago white Sox has officially announced his retirement.
CHICAGO — Tony La Russa, manager of the Chicago White Sox, understands that he was brought back to the city’s South Side for a second time with the goal of winning another World Series championship for the team.
However, after two seasons, the Sox not only missed out on another championship, but also failed to make the playoffs in their second year under the 77-year-old Hall of Fame manager. On Monday, La Russa, who has won three championships during his career, said that ongoing treatments for a heart condition will prohibit him from returning to the club in 2023.
La Russa stated on Monday that he is leaving the Sox dugout after being forced to leave the squad on August 30 due to health issues. In a statement posted by the Sox on Monday afternoon, he stated that he had a pacemaker implanted in his chest prior to spring training, a surgery he did not believe would preclude him from managing well this season.
However, in the statement, La Russa stated that his doctors informed him of an issue that necessitated him to take aside from his management duties and not return to the squad. La Russa will turn 78 on Tuesday.
He said that a routine check of the pacemaker found a problem, prompting doctors to remove him from his employment in late August. La Russa stated that he would allow doctors to set the timeline for a possible return, which never occurred. He had his pacemaker upgraded in Arizona but was never cleared to return to the dugout.
La Russa stated that he was diagnosed with a second health issue in early 2022, but that he avoided dealing with it until after the season. La Russa announced on Monday that he has been undergoing a remedial plan and that his overall health prognosis is “good.” However, he stated that due to continuous challenges, he will be unable to return in 2023.
