La Russa reportedly nearing return to Sox

OAKLAND -- Manager Tony La Russa could be nearing a return to the helm of the White Sox as soon as next week, as first reported by Jon Heyman in the New York Post. La Russa also reportedly wants to be at the Oakland Coliseum for Dave Stewart's No. 34 retirement ceremony on Sunday. The team has not confirmed either report.

"There's nothing official," said acting manager Miguel Cairo. "We'll wait and see. We don't know yet."

La Russa has been away from the White Sox since Aug. 30, when the team announced that he would not manage that evening's game against the Royals in order to undergo medical testing. Following further medical evaluation the next day, the team announced that La Russa would be away indefinitely.

Though Cairo doesn't know when La Russa will return to the team, he said he is in regular communication with Chicago's skipper and expects him to be OK.

"He's fine," Cairo said. "I talk to him every day. He sounds fine, and he's doing good."

Cairo, who normally serves as La Russa's bench coach, has led the White Sox to a 6-3 record in nine games as Chicago's acting manager. That winning stretch has allowed the club to chip away at the Guardians' lead in the AL Central, which sat at two games over the White Sox and Twins entering Thursday's series opener in Oakland.

Cairo dismissed the notion that the change in leadership has anything to do with the White Sox recent surge, saying that he expects the team to keep it going whenever La Russa is able to return.

"It should be the same," Cairo said. "They're playing good, they're having fun and they're going to continue having fun."