White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Yermin Mercedes made a “big mistake” when he swung on a 3-0 pitch and hit a towering home run in the ninth inning of Monday’s 16-4 win over the Twins.
Facing Willians Astudillo, a position player, with Chicago up by 11, Mercedes crushed a 47 mph pitch over the center-field wall to extend Chicago’s lead to 16-4. La Russa said he took several steps from the dugout to the field to try and tell Mercedes to take the pitch, but that the 28-year-old rookie was locked into the at-bat.
“He made a mistake,” La Russa said. “There will be a consequence that he has to endure here within our family. But it won’t happen again because (third base coach) Joe (McEwing) will be on the lookout and I will be too, and we’ll go running in front of the pitcher if we have to.”
Mercedes is in Tuesday’s lineup, batting cleanup. He leads the White Sox in batting average (.364) and OPS (.984) and is second on the team with six home runs and 25 RBIs.
Mercedes said he heard Astudillo say something after the home run, but didn’t really pay attention to what he said. He said he celebrated with his teammates, they listened to music in the clubhouse, and he moved on.
“I’m going to play like that,” he said. “I’m Yermin. I can’t be another person because if I change it, everything’s going to change.”
La Russa disagreed with Mercedes’ rationale.
“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 the opponents,” La Russa said. “And he’s got to respect the signs.”
This story will be updated.
