The Kansas City Royals have tabbed Mike Matheny to be their new manager for the 2020 season, the team announced Thursday morning:
We have named Mike Matheny the 17th manager in franchise history. #AlwaysRoyal pic.twitter.com/vAmBUz3B1a
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) October 31, 2019
Matheny — who was also a Gold Glove catcher for 13 years in the league — returns to the bench just one year removed from being fired by the St. Louis Cardinals just prior to the All-Star break in 2018.
The former backstop took over for Tony La Russa after the legendary Redbirds manager retired following the team's World Series title run in 2011. Matheny went 591-474 in six-plus years with the Cardinals, leading the team to the National League pennant in 2013.
However, after an upset at the hands of the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 NLDS as well as consecutive seasons in which the Cardinals missed the playoffs, Matheny was fired when the team got off to a 47-46 start in 2018.
Matheny was hired as a special advisor for player development with the Royals, which almost immediately gave him the inside track on the managerial role when Ned Yost retired.
In that aspect, Matheny finds himself replacing another revered manager. Yost led the Royals to back-to-back AL pennants in 2014 and 2015, with the Royals winning the World Series in 2015. He oversaw one of the more dramatic transformations in team history before ultimately succumbing to low payroll.
Matheny finds himself taking charge of a roster that does have some talent. Adalberto Mondesi is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young players in the game, and Whit Merrifield is a hitting machine.
That said, the Royals are a long way from contention. Mike Matheny will hope to steer them in the right direction.
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