The Cardinals fired manager Mike Shildt on Oct. 14, less than a week after the end of their season. 

Shildt spent three years as the Cardinals’ manager and in each of those three years the team made it into the playoffs. 

The firing was announced by the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak. He cited “philosophical differences” as the reason behind the decision. 

The announcement came after the Cardinals had a 17-game winning streak, the longest in team history. The streak led them into a wild-card playoff spot, where a 3-1 loss to the LA Dodgers on Oct. 6 brought an end to their season.

According to KSDK, Shildt has a career-long winning record of .559, which means the Cardinals won over half of their games played during his career. This is the sixth-highest record out of the 50 Cardinals managers and it puts him above Tony La Russa’s .544. La Russa notably led the Cardinals to a world series victory in 2011.

Shildt was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2019 after his first season as the Cardinals’ manager. According to KMOV, he spent the previous 15 years working with the Cardinals as a recruiter and coach, despite the fact that he has never professionally played baseball. 

Though the Cardinals have not released any specific details or instances behind the firing, Mozeliak said that they were “struggling to get on the same page.” 

For many fans, the firing was unexpected.

“I was very shocked,” senior Lucy Sheeley said. “I heard speculations about it but I didn’t think it was actually going to happen.”

Shildt’s admirable record adds to the surprise of the decision.

“I thought it was really odd because [the Cardinals] made it to the postseason the past three years,” Sheeley said. “And [they] just had [their] longest winning streak with 17 games.”

As a casual fan of the Cardinals, junior Jess Loyet agrees. 

“[The Cardinals] haven’t had a winning streak that long… so he must’ve been doing something right,” Loyet said.

Despite these numbers, some fans like sophomore Duncan McRae see the firing as a good thing. 

“[The firing] is probably the best decision [the Cardinals] have made in the last few years,” McRae said. 

Senior Ryan Watts, who used to run a Cardinals Instagram account, also felt that the decision was a good move for the franchise.

“I just believe that there are better options out there who will be more beneficial for the franchise in the future,” Watts said. “I think as the analytical side of baseball is continuing to grow, the old style managers will continue to see less opportunities.”

Shildt spoke on the firing in a press conference on Oct. 18. He didn’t give any details as to why he was fired but instead expressed his appreciation for the Cardinals players and the franchise. 

“I’m thankful to have been part of these players’ journeys,” Shildt said. “And beyond baseball I hope they know how much I care for them.” 

It is unknown where Shildt will work next, or who will be the next manager for the Cardinals. 

Watts hopes that the next manager will be more “analytically inclined and educated.” 

According to KMOV, Shildt has an upcoming job interview with the San Diego Padres.

“It makes me sad that he was fired,” Sheeley said. “But I think he will be successful wherever he goes.”