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Cardinals fire manager Mike Matheny

Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The struggling St. Louis Cardinals are shaking things up.

Following their third consecutive loss on Saturday, the Cardinals announced the firing of longtime manager Mike Matheny. Bench coach Mike Shildt was named the team's interim skipper.

St. Louis also dismissed hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller.

A news conference featuring president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

"These decisions are never easy, but we felt that a change in leadership was necessary as the team prepares to enter the second half of the season," Mozeliak said in a statement.

Matheny was hired by the Cardinals in 2012 following Hall of Fame skipper Tony La Russa's retirement. The 47-year-old compiled a 591-474 record over the past six-and-a-half seasons, leading the team to four consecutive playoff berths from 2012-15 and a National League pennant in 2013. He departs the franchise having collected the fifth-most wins in Cardinals history, and ranking fourth in games managed.

It's been a rough go for Matheny of late, though. Saturday's 8-2 loss to Cincinnati dropped the Cardinals to one game above .500, and they're now seven games out of first place in the NL Central. There had also been rumblings of discontent in the clubhouse, as a report last week suggested Matheny and struggling outfielder Dexter Fowler were barely communicating.

Another controversy surrounding Matheny erupted Wednesday when he publicly backed veteran pitcher Bud Norris' apparent harsh treatment of young reliever Jordan Hicks. Norris was said to be "mercilessly riding" Hicks, who said he wasn't happy with the treatment. "Bud's going to continue to do what he thinks is right as a veteran, so you respect that," Matheny said in response to questions about Norris' behavior.

Replacing Matheny is Shildt, who formerly managed the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate and has been a member of the big club's staff since 2017.

Managerial stability has been a hallmark of the Cardinals franchise for some time, largely due to La Russa's 15-year tenure. Shildt is only the seventh person to manage the Cardinals since 1990, and the first to take over the job midseason since Mike Jorgensen replaced Joe Torre in 1995.

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