White Sox's Tony La Russa makes perplexing decision to intentionally walk batter with 2 strikes

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Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa defended his decision to intentionally walk Los Angeles Dodgers batter Trea Turner on a 1-2 count in the sixth inning during their game on Thursday.

Turner had two strikes on him in the sixth inning when La Russa inexplicably decided to call for an intentional walk while left-handed pitcher Bennett Sousa was pitching. La Russa, a Hall of Famer, apparently wanted a lefty-lefty matchup with Sousa facing off against Max Muncy.

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Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa (22) smiles before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

The White Sox broadcast caught a fan yelling, "He’s got two strikes, Tony!"

Muncy would answer the challenge with a three-run home run as the Dodgers defeated the White Sox 11-9.

La Russa told reporters he was playing the percentages.

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy celebrates his three-run home run off Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Bennett Sousa during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

"Is there some question about whether that was good move or not?" he said. "Do you know what (Turner) hits against left-handed pitching with 0-1 or two strikes? Do you know what Muncy hits with two strikes against a left-handed pitcher? Is that really a question? We had an open base and Muncy happened to be the guy behind him and that's a better matchup. That wasn't a tough call."

Turner was hitting .286 with an .831 OPS and two home runs