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The White Sox season hasn’t gone as the organization or fans hoped, as the team currently sits four games back in the AL Central and six games back of the final wild card spot.
The tough season continued Friday night, when Chicago lost 7–2 to the Diamondbacks at home, the team’s fourth loss in their last five games. As a result, White Sox fans weren’t afraid to share their displeasure with the club as they booed the them heavily during the game.
After the game ended, manager Tony La Russa said he doesn’t blame the fans for their booes.
“They came to see us win a ballgame and we got beat,” he said, via The Athletic’s James Fegan. “Most of the game it was lopsided, right? They have every right to be upset—at the team, management, whatever, they’ve got the right to do it.”
La Russa actually praised the fans, as the reaction is a sign that they care and want to see the team succeed.
“I’m just saying, the fact that they were here and did say ‘Let’s go White Sox’ is amazing,” he said. “It’s amazing fan support here, and I’ve got plenty of experience. But there ain’t no free lunch. It’s a two-way relationship. They support you and you’ve got to give back. So we’ve got to do more about giving back.”
La Russa has seen his fair share of criticism this year, as in-game moves that backfired have led to fans calling for him to be fired. Yet, Chicago remains in position to make the playoffs if they get hot over the final month of the season.
Last year, the White Sox won the AL Central division for the first time since 2008, which included winning at least 93 games for the first time since they won the World Series on 2005. This year, however, they have been arguably the most disappointing team in MLB, and La Russa continues to get the brunt of the criticism.
