MLB Insider Reveals Gory Details Of Ex-Cardinals Skipper's Sudden Retirement

Not all was as it seemed with the former Cardinals skipper.

Apr 15, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A cap rests on the dug out wall with the number 42 on the hat in honor of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have fallen on hard times in recent years, and it has led to what will be a very crucial offseason under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.

Bloom's first major decision was to keep manager Oli Marmol for at least one more season. Meanwhile, the man Marmol replaced at the end of the 2021 season, Mike Shildt, has stepped down as manager of the San Diego Padres.

Shildt was shockingly fired after a 17-game winning streak, and the Cardinals framed it as "philosophical differences" at the time. But there may be more to the story that fans didn't realize, which also factors into his reason for leaving the Padres.

Ex-Cardinals Manager's Retirement Comes With Major Caveat

Sep 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) looks on from the sidelines before a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Shildt wasn't completely without fault in either situation.

"Mike Shildt's surprise departure from the Padres was announced as a 'retirement,' and team personnel are insisting it was Shildt's call to exit after feeling 'worn down.' However, it was hard to see him lasting in that role considering his very poor relationship with some of his coaches," Heyman wrote.

"Sources suggest one of the coaches was recently so upset after feeling insulted by Shildt that a fight nearly broke out. Shild gained a rep as blunt and temperamental in St. Louis, where he was fired after an excellent season. In St. Louis, the feeling was he didn't treat the support staff appropriately. So the situation is somewhat similar."

For years, Cardinals fans have been quick to blame ex-president of baseball operations John Mozeliak for his decision to fire Shildt. However, it appears that there is more to the story that fans were not aware of, and that what happened in St. Louis is very similar to what just took place with the Padres.

Perhaps in the end, Mozeliak knew what he was doing when he let Shildt go and ultimately replaced him with Marmol. After several years of criticism directed at Marmol, the current Cardinals skipper has seemingly grown on fans, and it may have ultimately been the right choice for Mozeliak to make the managerial change after the 2021 season.

While nothing justifies the way Shildt was treated by some Padres fans, it appears that Shildt wasn't without fault in either situation that led to him leaving his post as a manager.

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