Former MLB manager Tony La Russa called out White Sox player Yermin Mercedes for running up the score in a blowout game

Tony La Russa, the Hall of Fame manager who spent 33 years in the post, was once disappointed in Yermin Mercedes.

La Russa said that Mercedes did not respect the game and called out the Chicago White Sox player for running up the score in a blowout game.

In a 2021 interview with Sports Illustrated, La Russa said:

“We were taught from day one: Respect the game. Respect the competition. Respect your opponent,” what he meant was, “Once you are beating the other team by a lot, it is honorable to stop trying.”

Yermin is now a free agent and made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2020.

What did Tony La Russa want Mercedes to do?

Mercedes, the rookie designated hitter, took a swing at a 3-0 pitch while facing Willians Astudillo, a position player for the Minnesota Twins, who was pitching because his team lost to the White Sox, 15-4, in the ninth inning. La Russa, who led the White Sox after coming out of retirement ten years ago, preferred that Mercedes not swing at all.

The following day, La Russa spoke to the reporters:

“With that kind of a lead, that’s just sportsmanship, or respect for the game or respect for your opponent. He made a mistake. There will be a consequence that he’s going to have to endure within our family. It won’t happen again.”

Mercedes, who played in the minor leagues for eight years before making it to the top leagues, stood by his actions and told reporters:

“I’m going to play like that. I’m Yermin. I can’t be another person because if I do that, everything changes.”

To which La Russa retorted:

“I heard he said something like, ‘I play my game.’ No, he doesn’t. He plays the game of Major League Baseball, respects the game, respects opponents, and he’s got to respect the signs.”

When La Russa took over as manager of the Chicago White Sox in the middle of the 1979 campaign, the team won the American League West division four seasons later.

If Tony La Russa is named the manager, I will be - White Sox Talk

He was let go by the White Sox in the middle of the 1986 campaign and was hired by the Oakland Athletics less than three weeks later.

Chicago White Sox v New York Yankees

Yermin became the first player in history to start the season with eight straight hits on April 3, 2021, setting a major league record. In April 2021, he received the MLB Rookie of the Month award.