Earlier today, the Chicago White Sox rocked the baseball world by announcing that they have hired Hall of Fame manager, Tony La Russa.
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That news, according to reports, was music to the ears of the Detroit Tigers, who have had their eye on former Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch ever since the moment Ron Gardenhire notified the team he was retiring.
In fact, one Tigers official (who was not named), told Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic that the White Sox did them a “big favor” by hiring La Russa.
“The White Sox did us a big favor,” one team official told The Athletic.
Hinch reportedly interviewed with the Tigers on Tuesday and that things are moving along quickly with a decision being made as soon as Friday.
Hinch was suspended through the conclusion of the World Series for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, so he has only been eligible to speak with teams for a few days. But with the White Sox job off the board, the Red Sox are the only other team with a manager job currently open. Hinch is thought to be the Tigers’ top choice, and after a month of only small developments in the managerial search, there’s a sense the Tigers are now moving quickly — a final decision on the hire could come as soon as Friday, according to one source. Thursday night, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported the Tigers have made progress in finalizing a deal with Hinch, though the agreement is not yet completed.
Stay tuned, Tigers’ fans! We may soon have a new skipper in town!
