Miguel Cairo managed his 23rd game as acting White Sox skipper Friday night but admits that not seeing Tony La Russa standing near the bat rack in the corner of the dugout remains odd.
“Of course it feels weird,” Cairo said. “He’s still our manager. He’s the manager of the Chicago White Sox, and I miss him. We miss him. But right now we don’t have any information when he’s going to come back.”
Since leaving Aug. 30 with reported heart issues, La Russa hasn’t received clearance from his doctors to resume his managing duties, and it has been nearly two weeks since the Sox last saw him in Oakland for their Sept. 11 game against the Athletics, which La Russa got permission to attend so he could participate in ceremonies celebrating the retirement of Dave Stewart’s jersey number.
La Russa’s absence, coupled with the Sox’ slide from playoff contention, has heightened speculation about whether he’ll return as manager at any point in the future.
Cairo said he last spoke Thursday with La Russa, who turns 78 on Oct. 4.
“He’s doing good,” Cairo said.
Crochet’s comfortable comeback
Left-hander Garrett Crochet remains under no rush in his recovery from Tommy John surgery in April.
“To be honest, I’m trying to go through this rehab open-ended and get back when I get back,” Crochet said. “I don’t want to set a firm date and then to have a setback or to be rushing for something, I don’t want to put myself in that position.”
Crochet, whose injury severely hurt the Sox’ pitching depth, has been playing catch three times a week from 60 feet. He hasn’t yet experienced any setbacks but is aware that occasional speed bumps are common in these types of rehabs.
Crochet lives in Arizona in the offseason and will continue his rehab at the Sox’ minor-league complex in Glendale.
Minor-leaguer busted
Sox minor-league pitcher Jendersson Caraballo received a 60-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program. The 22-year-old Dominican is on the Sox’ Dominican Summer League roster but hasn’t pitched since 2019.
