After a disappointing first half that has seen the St. Louis Cardinals sit seven games back in the NL Central, St. Louis announced manager Mike Matheny has been fired.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 15, 2018
St. Louis closed Saturday with a 47-47 record and closer to the bottom of the division than the top of the standings. After missing the postseason for two consecutive years, St. Louis opted to make a change with the team headed for a third straight postseason drought.
The Cardinals’ clubhouse was also in the news in recent weeks for numerous issues. Starting outfielder Dexter Fowler and Mike Matheny were reportedly ‘barely on speaking terms’. Furthermore, Matheny reportedly had relief pitcher Bud Norris spy on his teammate and report any transgressions made by players.
A combination of clubhouse issues and the team’s struggles the past 2.5 seasons ultimately ended Matheny’s tenure in St. Louis. The Cardinals have named bench coach Mike Shildt as interim manager.