Former White Sox manager Tony La Russa has refuted reports that suggest owner Jerry Reinsdorf is in “active discussions” to sell the team. The Hall of Famer’s comments came while he was promoting his family’s new animal non-profit and aired on WBBM Newsradio.
“Jerry’s not selling that team,” La Russa said. “He wants to improve it to where the Chicago White Sox fans come to the ballpark excited for a chance to win.”
The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli was the first to share that the White Sox chairman was talking with a group led by former All-Star pitcher Dave Stewart. The 80-year-old La Russa, who has been a long-time friend of Reinsdorf, believes the conversation with Stewart was centered around baseball ownership in general and not tied specifically to the White Sox.
“[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 told WBBM Newsradio. “I think the speculation that they were talking about doing it in Chicago somehow, there’s just no grounds there.”
Stewart, 67, recently led an investment group called Music City Baseball with intentions of establishing a majority minority-owned expansion team in Nashville. Things didn’t go as planned, resulting in Stewart’s departure earlier this year due to “philosophical differences.” He was also unsuccessful in his attempts to purchase the Marlins in 2017 and a portion of the Coliseum in 2021, the three-time World Series champion seems to have shifted his focus to bringing a National Women’s Soccer League team to Nashville for now.
Less than a year ago, Reinsdorf made headlines when he met with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago released an article in August 2023 detailing Reinsdorf’s series of moves that included exploring options for the White Sox beyond Guaranteed Rate Field – both inside and outside of Chicago. Based on that report, a move to Nashville was referenced and appeared to be on the table, though nothing was considered imminent.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was also asked about the White Sox’s long-term future in Chicago during a Wednesday appearance on FS1’s Breakfast Ball.
“Chicago is an anchor city for us. I think that the White Sox are in a difficult situation. I think the location of the stadium is tough, but I have confidence that things are going to work out in Chicago, and that we’re going to continue to have two teams in Chicago.”
via MLB Commisioner Rob Manfred, FS1
It’s difficult to predict what may ultimately happen with the White Sox. Reinsdorf has indicated in the past that his family should sell the team and keep the Bulls after his death, inevitably leading to a change in ownership at some point. For now, his focus remains on getting public funding for a new stadium in the South Loop, which these rumors may have been released to help him achieve just that.
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