A look at what’s happening around the majors on Monday:
LA RUSSA REUNION
White Sox manager Tony La Russa will see plenty of familiar faces when his AL Central leaders host his longtime team, the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 76-year-old Hall of Fame skipper guided the Cardinals from 1996-2011, reaching the playoffs nine times and winning two World Series championships. Out of the majors for nearly a decade, he returned to the dugout this season with Chicago.
La Russa sounded eager to see Cards catcher Yadier Molina and the rest of the Redbirds and their classic uniforms.
“I think it’s the common-sense stuff, it’s you recognize the birds with the bat,” La Russa said Sunday. “There are guys there, several guys that were teammates, but they’re guys in the coaching staff that I know really well.”
La Russa praised St. Louis manager Mike Shildt, whose club leads the NL Central.
“Mike was a teammate starting in 2000 through 2004. Mike Shildt came in the organization in player development and over the years watched him grow, minor league manager of the year. And really, really impressed. No surprise that he’s successful as a manager because you watched him go from rookie to A ball and so forth, Double-A won the championship. He has a knack of guys responding to his leadership,” La Russa said.
Lance Lynn (4-1, 1.55 ERA) is scheduled to start for the White Sox. The 34-year-old righty was a rookie when he pitched in relief in the final game that La Russa managed for the Cardinals — a Game 7 victory over Texas for the 2011 crown.
TAKE TWO
Spencer Turnbull (3-2, 2.88 ERA) pitches at home for the Detroit Tigers against Cleveland in his first start since throwing a no-hitter last Tuesday in Seattle.
The next night, Corey Kluber twirled a gem of his own for the Yankees at Texas –…
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