Miguel Cairo managed his 23rd game as acting White Sox manager Friday night but admits 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.”
La Russa hasn’t received clearance from his doctors to resume his managing duties since leaving Aug. 30, and it’s been nearly two weeks since the traveling party last saw him in Oakland attending their Sept. 11 game against the Athletics, in which La Russa received 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 regarding whether he will return as Sox manager at any point in the future.
Cairo said he spoke Thursday with La Russa, who turns 78 on Oct. 4.
“He’s doing good,” Cairo said.
Crochet’s comeback
Left-hander Garrett Crochet remains under no rush in his recovery from Tommy John surgery performed 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 thento 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’s pitching depth, has been playing catch three times a week from 60 feet. He hasn’t experienced any setbacks but is aware that it’s common for those rehabs to experience an occasional speed bump.
Crochet lives in Arizona in the offseason and will continue his rehab at the White Sox’s minor league complex in Glendale.
Minor-leaguer busted
White 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 Major League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Caraballo, 22, a native of the Dominican Republic, is on the Sox’s Dominican Summer League roster but hasn’t pitched since 2019.