Report: Adam LaRoche Retired Because White Sox Didn’t Allow Son In Clubhouse

Although White Sox designated hitter Adam LaRoche left money on the table when he announced his retirement on Tuesday, the news was hardly a surprise.

Adam LaRoche Retired Because White Sox Didn’t Allow Son In Clubhouse

LaRoche, 36, has earned over $70 million playing baseball, and is coming off one of the worst seasons of his long professional career.

However, FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal reported on Wednesday that LaRoche didn’t just leave due to a series of injuries or even to help ease his team’s salary payments. According to Rosenthal, LaRoche decided to retire after White Sox general manager Ken Williams said he could no longer bring his 14-year-old son Drake into the team’s clubhouse.

 

LaRoche’s son has traveled with him and the team for several years. Williams reportedly said “we all think his kid is a great young man,” but also added that he did tell LaRoche to “dial it back,” and that he couldn’t have his son hanging around in the clubhouse “100 percent of the time.”

Adam LaRoche’s brother, former big-league infielder Andy LaRoche, also shared support for his family on Twitter. Many of LaRoche’s former teammates also took to Twitter to express their love and appreciation for the designated hitter.

It’s certainly a difficult situation to assess. LaRoche’s own father, Dave LaRoche, was a great baseball player himself back in the day, so perhaps this tradition of bringing his son to games and practices was something his father did with him that he simply wanted to pass on.

At the same time, however, it’s likely that many White Sox players complained about Drake’s presence in the clubhouse being a distraction that prevented them from concentrating and playing their best. After all, there aren’t many workplaces where employees are allowed to bring in their kids every single day.

Caption: SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 22: Adam LaRoche #25 of the Chicago White Sox hits a game-tying groundout in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on August 22, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)