Cairo focused on 'doing my best' after stepping in for La Russa
On Tuesday, Miguel Cairo was preparing for another game as the White Sox's bench coach.
He was ready to assist manager Tony La Russa with whatever was needed, just like always.
On Thursday, Cairo managed his third game in place of La Russa, who is away from the team having additional medical testing in Arizona after being checked out in Chicago on Wednesday. It's been a big change, but the 48-year-old Cairo has stayed the same.
"I've got to be Miguel Cairo," he said. "I've got a good group of coaches, they're going to help me. I'm going to ask for their opinion and then I making the decision. But this is teamwork, we're going to do it together, the players, the front office, myself and the coaching staff."
Before joining La Russa's coaching staff last year, Cairo was the Yankees' minor-league infield coordinator from 2018-20 and he was the Reds' interim bench coach in 2013.
Has he ever thought about becoming a full-time MLB manager?
"I'm going to say I'm day-to-day on that," said Cairo, who played 17 seasons with nine teams, including the Cubs in 1997 and 2001. "Today I'm managing, tomorrow I might be, I'm going to manage maybe tomorrow and the next day. I'm going to take one day at a time. I'm just going to do my best."
Family matters:
Luis Robert has been mostly out of the White Sox's starting lineup since spraining his left wrist in an Aug. 12 game against the Tigers.
The 25-year-old center fielder appears to be close to returning, and Robert was used as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of the Sox's 4-2 win over the Royals Wednesday night.
On Thursday, acting manager Miguel Cairo said Robert flew home for the birth of his child.
"I'm happy for him," Cairo said. "He's going to be a dad, congratulations to him."
Cairo said Robert will be "back soon," possibly this weekend.
"He's getting ready to be in there," Cairo said.
Roster moves:
With the calendar flipping to September Thursday, major-league rosters were eligible to expand from 26 to 28 players.
The White Sox recalled relief pitcher Matt Foster and outfielder Adam Haseley from Class AAA Charlotte.
Foster is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 47 games with the Sox this season.
Haseley is back for his third stint with the White Sox and he's hit .250 with 2 RBI in 11 games.