ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa needs to treat an eye problem and will miss Tuesday night’s series opener against the Cubs in Chicago.
The team says the examination will be at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. The Cardinals did not disclose the problem, initially identified in mid-April as conjunctivitis, an inflammation commonly known as pink eye.
La Russa said last week that the illness was not conjunctivitis and called it a viral infection. The entire right side of the manager’s face was swollen for a period of time although La Russa continued to hit fungoes at practice until the last homestand.
Last week, the illness appeared improved cosmetically, but La Russa said it was still an effort to keep his right eye open.
“I’m not doing much,” La Russa said before a game last weekend. “I had to shut it down because I just can’t hang in there. It’s hard to hit one-eyed.”
La Russa said managing games has been easier because of the adrenaline involved.
“You handle that better than you do before and after,” he said. “The game is not that tough, it just doesn’t bother you as much.”
General manager John Mozeliak says La Russa’s status for the rest of the week has not been determined. Bench coach Joe Pettini will replace La Russa as acting manager for Tuesday’s game.
The 66-year-old La Russa is in his 16th season as St. Louis manager.
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