Neither Tony La Russa nor the White Sox got ahead of this story to address it, but we now know the crux of La Russa’s medical issue: He was suffering from heart failure, and had a pacemaker installed.
White Sox manager Tony La Russa confirms to me he had a pacemaker inserted for his heart. He is grateful for having undergone a relatively "simple" procedure and is coming along well, working to regain his strength. It's unclear when he'll be ready to manage again.
— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) September 11, 2022
It’s telling that La Russa confirmed this to a Bay Area media member and not to anyone covering the White Sox, and that the club did not have anything prepared in advance for the moment when it would be learned that its manager was nodding off in the dugout due to his heart running slow.