Tony La Russa Not Happy After Yermin Mercedes’ Home Run

CHICAGO - MAY 01: Yermin Mercedes #73 of the Chicago White Sox looks on against the Cleveland Indians on May 1, 2021 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)

White Sox manager Tony La Russa was not happy when one of his rookie batters hit a home run in the team’s trashing of the Minnesota Twins.

It was the top of the ninth inning, the Chicago White Sox were in full control of a 15-4 lead, and rookie Yermin Mercedes came up to the batter box. Twins utility man Willians Astudillo was pitching due to the blowout and threw a meet ball right over the center of the plate on a 3-0 count. Mercedes absolutely smashed it out of the park.

La Russa was not happy with Mercedes’ home run. La Russa told reporters how Mercedes ignored a sign call and hit the home run. However, it does not end there, but La Russa went on to say that he will punish the Mercedes. The manager revealed that he apologized to the Twins for the home run.

La Russa argued that Mercedes broke an unwritten rule, sportsmanship, and was disrespectful. The unwritten rule La Russa is referring to is that when a team is dominating late in the game, the batter is always supposed to take a pitch on a 3-0 count. The rookie instead swung when many argued he shouldn’t have. Mercedes told reporters that he will not change.

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“I’m always doing Yermin,” Mercedes said. “For that reason, I’m here right now. For that reason, you guys are talking to me right now. If I’m not Yermin, if I’m not doing that, nobody wants to talk to me, nobody wants to know what I’m doing.”

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

The manager vowed for punishment, but that punishment came from the Twins. On Tuesday night, in their second game of the series, Angels reliever Tyler Duffey threw at Mercedes for his home run on Monday. The intentional hit-by-pitch resulted in the ejection of Duffey and his manager, Rocco Baldelli, who was thrown out after arguing.

La Russa did not defend Mercedes for being hit by a pitch after the game. “I don’t have a problem with how the Twins handled it,” La Russa said in regards to Duffey targeting the rookie slugger.