Call to the pen
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Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt to join Rob Manfred’s office

By Noah Yingling

Aug 30, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt (8) calls to the bullpen during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt (8) calls to the bullpen during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rather than take a managerial or coaching job in the major leagues or minor leagues, it looks like former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt will take a job in the MLB Commissioner’s office. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (subscription required), Shildt is expected to be taking a job in Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office under senior Vice President of On-Field Operations Mike Hill.

Hill, the former GM and President of Baseball Operations of the Miami Marlins from 2007 through January 2021, is in charge of MLB and MiLB umpires and the head disciplinarian for MLB and MiLB, which includes suspensions and fines to players, coaches, and other personnel. Hill replaced former MLB pitcher Chris Young before the 2021 season when Young was named the GM of the Texas Rangers.

Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt is making a bit of a career change

It will mark Mike Shildt’s first time that he is not the St. Louis Cardinals organization since 2003. While with the Cardinals, Shildt was a scout, minor league coach, minor league manager, MLB coach, and from July 2018 through 2021, the manager of the Cardinals. However, Cardinals President John Mozeliak parted ways with Shildt after “philosophical differences” and named Shildt’s bench coach, Oliver Marmol, the new manager.

Shildt had been rumored to be in the running for the managerial opening with the San Diego Padres but they hired Oakland A’s manager Bob Melvin. Shildt had not been linked to any other managerial openings or coaching staff openings.

Shildt went 252-199 (.559 winning percentage) as Cardinals manager and made it to the playoffs in each of the three full seasons he managed. The Cardinals had not made the playoffs since 2015, making it the first three-year stretch without a postseason appearance since they didn’t make the postseason from 1997 through 1999.

That .559 winning percentage makes Shildt the most-winningest manager by winning percentage since Johnny Keane, who managed the Cardinals from 1961 through 1964, culminating in a World Series title in 1964 before he jumped ship to become the manager of the New Yor Yankees, the team the Cardinals defeated in the 1964 World Series.

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With Shildt only being 53, he could easily return to the managerial or coaching ranks in baseball in 2023.

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