The Chicago White Sox’s shocking hire of Tony La Russa as manager was already poorly received across baseball when that move was announced. And on Monday night, that decision appeared to get even worse.
In fact, it has already cost the White Sox a chance at signing free agent pitcher Marcus Stroman.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Monday that La Russa was arrested on suspicion of DUI back in February in Arizona. He was formally charged on Oct. 28. The White Sox knew of the arrest before making the hire.
La Russa, who had already pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in 2007, was facing serious questions from the MLB world when he was hired to manage the White Sox. He had spoken out against Colin Kaepernick’s protests of racial injustice in 2016. He is also notoriously old school when it comes to baseball’s unwritten rules — a personality that doesn’t seem to fit with one of baseball’s more exuberant clubhouses.
All of this had Stroman ripping the White Sox and La Russa come Tuesday.
Here is the full Stroman thread… pic.twitter.com/8nxWzLYRsl
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2020
In a Twitter conversation with Keith Law, Stroman called the La Russa hire “baffling on all measures.”
He added that “no amount of money” could get him to sign with the White Sox and play for La Russa.
Stroman, who opted out of the 2020 season, is a free agent for the first time in his career. And, theoretically, the White Sox could have been a good baseball fit for the 29-year-old pitcher. But that’s definitely not happening now.
Peace of mind remains priority through it all.
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) November 10, 2020
