White Sox can talk to La Russa

Hall of Famer gets OK from Angels on interview

The Angels granted the White Sox permission to interview Hall of Famer Tony La Russa for their managing job, according to reports Wednesday.

A three-time World Serieswinning manager, the 76-year-old La Russa joined the Angels prior to this season as senior advisor of baseball operations.

The White Sox agreed to split with Rick Renteria after a disappointing finish to a breakthrough season in which the team made the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

La Russa, who started his managing career with the White Sox during the 1979 season, hasn’t managed since 2011, when he led the Cardinals past the Rangers in the World Series. He also won championships with A’s in 1989 and the Cardinals in 2006.

If hired, he would be the oldest manager in the major leagues by five years. Astros manager Dusty Baker is 71.

La Russa is 2,728-2,365 with six pennants over 33 seasons with the White Sox, A’s and Cardinals and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2014. Only Hall of Famers Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763) have more victories.

LaRussa managed the White Sox to a 522-510 record over parts of eight seasons. He led the 1983 team to 99 wins and the AL West championship. But hewas fired in 1986 by then-GM Ken Harrelson after the White Sox got off to a 26-38 start.

Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has long regretted that move and remains close with La Russa. If La Russa gets the job, hewill inherit a team that appears poised for long-term success.

The White Sox have never made back-to-back playoff appearances. But after ending a string of seven losing seasons, they’re in position to change that.

No big changes for Yankees: Not much is wrong with the Yankees in the view of manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman.

While stung by a five-game loss to the Rays in the ALDS, the Yankees leadership doesn’t appear to anticipate large-scale changes for 2021.

Catcher Gary Sánchez’s job could be in danger after a third straight down season, but Gleyber Torres’ hold on shortstop is solid despite shaky defense. Starting pitching will be a focus for improvement.

“As much as we constantly are going to try to improve here, and there’s going to be tweaks to the roster as a result of that, I think it’s also important to note just how still close we are to being the last team standing,” Boone said Wednesday. “I understand the frustrations of the fan base, but I think if you really look at it, it’s razor thin, the difference between us and say the team that’s going to win the World Series this year.”

The Yankees had their second straight injury-filled season but were mostly healthy for the postseason. Asecond-place finish with a 33-27 record, seven games behind the Rays, included the major league high in errors with 48 and the Yankees’ poorest fielding percentage since 1973.

Still, they swept the Indians in the first round before getting eliminated by the Rays. They haven’t reached the World Series since winning in 2009.

“Ultimately, we ran up against a team that was better,” Cashman said.

“They proved in a marathon of 60 games that they were better. Andthen they proved in the sprint of the Division Series that they were better.”

Among the biggest roster decisions, AL batting champion DJ LeMahieu is eligible for free agency along with pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton. The Yankees have options on reliever Zack Britton ($13 million for 2021 and $14 million for 2022 that must be exercised together, tied to a $13 million player option for 2021 if the club first declines), pitcher JA Happ ($17 million) and Brett Gardner ($10 million). Giancarlo Stanton, viewed by the Yankees as a designated hitter after another injury-wrecked season, is expected to keep the remaining $218 million and seven guaranteed seasons left in his contract rather than opt out