(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Former White Sox Manager Tony LaRussa on Wednesday unequivocally disputed reports suggesting that his longtime friend, Jerry Reinsdorf, is open to selling the Chicago White Sox.
“Jerry's not selling that team,” LaRussa told WBBM Newsradio.
His comments are the latest response to a report last week in The Athletic, which quoted sources who said Reinsdorf was engaged in active discussions with a group led by former Diamondbacks executive Dave Stewart. Stewart has long been interested in bringing a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Nashville.
LaRussa, who twice managed the White Sox during his Hall of Fame career and worked with Stewart in Arizona, suggested the meeting was mischaracterized.
“[Stewart] has gone to several owners — a couple of owners — that he has known very well ... Jerry's one of them ... and they had a conversation about Stew's pursuit of an ownership,” LaRussa said. “I think the speculation that they were talking about doing it in Chicago somehow ... there's just no grounds there.”
LaRussa said he's been talking to Reinsdorf and the front office regularly as the team searches for a replacement for manager Pedro Grifol, who was fired midway through a record-setting 121-loss season.
“[Reinsdorf] wants to improve it to where the Chicago White Sox fans come to the ballpark excited for a chance to win,” he said.
Also on Wednesday morning, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on FS1’s “Breakfast Ball” show, during which he described Chicago as an “anchor city” to the league.
Manfred said he’s confident that Chicago will continue to have two baseball teams.
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