ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (48-46, 3RD PLACE, NL CENTRAL)
BIG PICTURE
Only a game over .500 and fearing the season was slipping away, the Cardinals fired manager Mike Matheny after a loss to the Cincinnati Reds with one day left before the All-Star break. Bench coach
Mike Shildt was named interim manager following a purge that included hitting coach John Mabry and assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller. The Cardinals lost 10 of their last 15 games under Matheny and are 24-24 at home.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Matt Carpenter got off to an awful start but has rebounded to hit .263 with a club-high 19 home runs. In March and April, Carpenter batted .155.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
After spending the previous three seasons in Japan, right-hander Miles Mikolas is 10-3 with a 2.79 ERA and was selected to the All-Star Game. In his previous three major league seasons, he was 4-6 with a 5.32 ERA in 37 games.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Right fielder Dexter Fowler is hitting .176, easily the worst season of his 11-year career. He lost considerable playing time before the managerial change.
TRADE-DEADLINE FORECAST
The Cardinals will see how the team responds to Shildt before deciding on a deadline strategy. However, if the struggles continue, the club is expected to begin a major retooling.
KEY SERIES
at Chicago Cubs July 19-22 (five games)
John Perrotto