MIKE SHILDT

San Francisco Giants coach Antoan Richardson and San Diego Padres coach Mike Shildt hugged on the field before their teams played each other Wednesday.

There's a lot to catch up on from a bizarre baseball offseason before the 2022 season officially begins with first pitch at Wrigley Field.

The young man calling in the shots in the St. Louis Cardinals' dugout is new this season. In fact, the return of erstwhile slugger Albert Pujols to a clubhouse that still includes longtime St. Louis stalwarts Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina gives the club a decidedly old-school, nostalgic feel heading into the new season. "Oh, he's got something left," said Oliver Marmol, the youngest skipper in the big leagues at 35 years old, when asked about the return of the 42-year-old Pujols following more than a decade playing for the Dodgers and Angels in Los Angeles.

Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and the rest of baseball’s biggest stars are due at spring training Sunday for the first official day of preseason training following the end of Major League Baseball’s 99-day labor lockout.

Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash has become the second skipper to win Manager of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, taking this year's American League award.

Oliver Marmol has been promoted from bench coach to the majors’ youngest manager, taking over the St. Louis Cardinals almost two weeks after Mike Shildt was fired in a surprise move by one of baseball's most stable franchises.

The St. Louis Cardinals plan to announce Monday that bench coach Oliver Marmol will be promoted to replace fired manager Mike Shildt, according to a person familiar with the decision.

For the second time in four seasons, the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros are set to play for the American League pennant.

The St. Louis Cardinals have fired manager Mike Shildt over philosophical differences within the organization.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning, and the playoff-bound St. Louis Cardinals won for the 19th time in their last 20 games, 4-3 over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night. Tyler O'Neill homered twice and threw out the potential go-ahead run in the ninth inning for the Cardinals, who will play either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild-card game. Dakota Hudson made his first start for the Cardinals in more than a year, allowing three hits in five scoreless innings.

Clayton Kershaw starts at Dodger Stadium against Milwaukee to begin a season-ending, three-game series in a possible playoff preview.

The Cardinals’ team-record 17-game winning streak ended when Daniel Vogelbach hit a two-run homer that backed Adrian Houser and led the Milwaukee Brewers over St. Louis 4-0.

Umpire Bill Miller provided an explanation Monday for a wild sequence during St. Louis' 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs that added another layer of drama to the Cardinals' 16th straight win. A request was made for an explanation after Sunday's game, but a spokesman for the Cubs said it was declined. The play occurred after St. Louis reliever Giovanny Gallegos walked pinch-hitter Austin Romine and Rafael Ortega with one out in the ninth.

Make it a very sweet 16 for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Andrew Knizner slid across home plate, hopped up and pumped his right arm in jubilation. Make it a very sweet 16 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Knizner scored the go-ahead run on Codi Heuer's wild pitch in the ninth inning, and the Cardinals beat the lowly Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Sunday for their 16th straight victory.

The St. Louis Cardinals set a franchise record with their 15th straight win, boosted when catcher Yadier Molina and center fielder Harrison Bader helped pull off a wild double play in an 8-5 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Harrison Bader and the St. Louis Cardinals clearly recognize their record is impressive. The Cardinals set a franchise mark with their 15th straight win, boosted when catcher Yadier Molina and center fielder Bader helped pull off a wild double play Saturday in an 8-5 win over the Chicago Cubs. “It’s hard to do something in this organization that’s never been done,” manager Mike Shildt said.

The surging St. Louis Cardinals emphatically matched a team record with their 14th straight win, pounding the Chicago Cubs 12-4 in the second game of a doubleheader behind Tyler O’Neill’s three-run homer and a pair of solo shots by Lars Nootbaar.

The surging St. Louis Cardinals emphatically matched a team record with their 14th straight win on Friday night, pounding the Chicago Cubs 12-4 in the second game of a doubleheader behind Tyler O’Neill’s three-run homer and a pair of solo shots by Lars Nootbaar. Harrison Bader added a solo drive, double and single as St. Louis batters went deep five times in the nightcap to sweep the twinbill and equal a run set in July 1935. Paul DeJong also went deep and Nootbaar added a single for three hits in his first multihomer game as St. Louis pulled away.

Oakland right-hander Chris Bassitt promised to return to the mound by season’s end following a frightening 100 mph line drive to the face on Aug. 17.

Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill homered as the St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th straight game, extending their lead for the second NL wild-card spot and beating the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 10-2.

Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill homered as the St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th straight game, extending their lead for the second NL wild-card spot and beating the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 10-2 Wednesday night. Goldschmidt also doubled, singled and scored four runs to help St. Louis stretch its best winning streak since an 11-game string in 2001. The Cardinals' longest winning streak in franchise history is 14, in 1935 with a team led by Hall of Famer pitcher Dizzy Dean.

Cardinals closer Giovanny Gallegos fanned pinch-hitter Pablo Reyes with the bases loaded for the final out and St. Louis won its 10th straight game, increasing its lead in the playoff chase by holding off the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 2-1.

Jon Lester notched his 200th career win, Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 Monday night for their ninth consecutive win. The Cardinals have won nine straight for the first time since 2004 to solidify their grip on the second NL wild card. Milwaukee's magic number over the Cardinals to clinch the division title remained at three.

On the morning of the trade deadline in late July, the St. Louis Cardinals were a .500 team sitting 7 1/2 games outside a playoff spot. While other National League contenders added stars such as Max Scherzer, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez, the Redbirds went for a pair of struggling starting pitchers in their late 30s: Jon Lester and J.A. Happ.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each hit one of St. Louis’ four homers, and the Cardinals flashed some fantastic outfield defense in beating the New York Mets 11-4 for their fifth straight victory.

Edmundo Sosa hit the go-ahead single in a three-run 11th inning and the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals climbed all the way back into playoff position with a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets.

Adam Wainwright won his fifth straight start in a rare matchup of 40-year-old pitchers, and the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the New York Mets 7-0.

Adrian Houser pitched Milwaukee’s first complete-game shutout since 2014, throwing a crisp three-hitter that led the Brewers over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0.

Adrian Houser pitched Milwaukee's first complete-game shutout since 2014, throwing a crisp three-hitter that led the Brewers over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 Saturday night. Not since Kyle Lohse blanked Cincinnati on two hits on Sept. 24, 2014, had a Milwaukee pitcher gone the distance without allowing a run. The Brewers had played 1,011 games since then, marking the longest active streak in the majors.

The baseball trade deadline is fast approaching, and teams are starting to get busy before Friday’s 4 p.m. EDT cutoff.

Franmil Reyes homered twice, including a second-inning blast that bounced out of Progressive Field and almost dinged a bicyclist pedaling past on the street, and the Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2.

Joc Pederson homered and drove in three runs, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras went deep and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Friday afternoon.

Rafael Devers and the Red Sox go for a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in this week’s Sunday night matchup.

Cody Bellinger had a grand slam and six RBIs as the Dodgers scored their most runs in one inning of a regular-season game since moving to Los Angeles, piling up 11 in the bottom of the first during a 14-3 blowout over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The St. Louis Cardinals will need to re-do their rotation now that ace Jack Flaherty will be sidelined for a while with what manager Mike Shildt termed a “significant” oblique injury.

The St. Louis Cardinals have placed pitcher Jack Flaherty on the 10-day injured list with what manager Mike Shildt termed a “significant” oblique injury.

Chris Taylor drove in three runs with a tiebreaking double that capped a 14-pitch at-bat in the sixth inning, rallying the Los Angeles Dodgers past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 to snap a three-game skid.

Lucas Giolito beat Jack Flaherty in a major league matchup of former high school teammates, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sloppy St. Louis Cardinals.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa wound up a winner in his first game against the team that ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Chicago beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 behind Lance Lynn’s arm and Andrew Vaughn’s bat.

The birds-on-the-bat uniforms, the players in the other dugout, the opposing manager, it all looked familiar to Tony La Russa.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa will see plenty of familiar faces when his AL Central leaders host his longtime team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Adam Wainwright came off the COVID-19 injured list and hung tough, St. Louis got a lights-out performance from its bullpen and the Cardinals beat the New York Mets 6-5 for their fifth straight win.

Tyler O’Neil scored on David Hale's game-ending wild pitch in the 10th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Thursday to split their four-game series.

Max Scherzer struck out nine in six scoreless innings to move up to No. 21 on the career Ks leaderboard, and Alex Avila drove in the game’s lone run with one of his two doubles, helping the Washington Nationals edge the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0.

“I don’t even think I’ve had a 13 pitch at-bat in my career.”Hicks was scheduled to pitch one inning. Carlos Martínez worked four innings in the start for St. Louis, allowing two runs and five hits. Pittsburgh starter Steven Brault allowed three runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. YANKEES 5, BLUE JAYS 1New York starter Deivi García gave up one hit and an unearned run in three innings. Dean Kremer allowed a run on three hits, walked two and struck out four in the start for Baltimore.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, that Strasburg is in preparation mode not in rehabilitation mode at spring training after having surgery in 2020. So the familiar feel of February spring training has pitchers eager to unleash fastballs, spin a few breaking balls and get ready for the 162-game long haul. “Spring training is 50 days long,” Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais said. But young pitchers — many of whom didn't throw many innings last season — will have to be watched closely. He practiced on the first day of spring training Wednesday but an MRI later revealed the break.

FILE - Cardboard cutouts rest in seats at Oracle Park as the San Francisco Giants play the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, in this Wednesday, July 29, 2020, file photo. What wasn’t odd in 2020, when the coronavirus was the commissioner of all sports? And, before long, the odd became the new normal. Masked coaches patrolled the sidelines looking as if they had been lifted from the set of a cheesy cops-and-robbers movie. But with no fans in the park -- in Oakland and San Francisco -- and plenty of balls landing in the seats, AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley had an idea.

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., center, celebrates with teammates after the Padres defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in Game 3 of a National League wild-card baseball series Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, in San Diego. San Diego became the first team in baseball history to use eight or more pitchers in three straight postseason games. The Padres rewarded their long-suffering fans by winning one of the most meaningful games of any kind in San Diego in a long time. The city’s only major professional championship remains the San Diego Chargers’ 1963 AFL title. The Padres lost 4-1 to the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series and were swept by the New York Yankees in the 1998 Fall Classic.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts flies out to right field during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Los Angeles. Welcome to the first round of the 2020 playoffs, a class with an unusual amount of homework — and precious little room for error. After the pandemic-shortened regular season was limited to regional play, seven of the eight wild-card series involve teams that haven't played any meaningful games against each other since last year. “It’s like the old days, man, when you played a team you’ve never played before. That means a lot of video and scouting work before the AL playoffs begin Tuesday and the NL postseason starts Wednesday.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)NEW YORK – A Major League Baseball umpire tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting a late shift in crew assignments in Florida this week, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The affected umpire, who wasn’t identified, was not on the field when the result was learned. A dozen umpires, including eight crew chiefs, opted out of working the shortened season because of virus considerations. The Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series will be held under protective bubbles set up to minimize exposure to the virus. It’s all about what the risk of interacting with the community is.”___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina has words with Milwaukee Brewers' Keston Hiura and Jedd Gyorko during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE – St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt was suspended one game for his role in a bench-clearing fracas in Milwaukee, and was set to miss the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Brewers. Major League Baseball announced the penalty about 35 minutes before the Cardinals and Brewers met in the opener at Miller Park. Shildt came off the bench to examine Molina’s left arm, then he and the All-Star catcher approached the Milwaukee dugout and exchanged words with Brewers players. “I go to check on him and make sure he’s OK and hear something out of the (Brewers) dugout,” Shildt said after the game.

St. Louis Cardinals' Harrison Bader celebrates after scoring during the third inning in the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS Backup catcher Matt Wieters acknowledges he might have to get in better shape for the St. Louis Cardinals. Wieters hit 14 foul balls during a grueling 19-pitch at-bat that finished with a deep flyout with the bases loaded during a wild rally that sent the Cardinals over the Minnesota Twins 6-4 Tuesday night for a doubleheader split. Wieters set the Cardinals record for a plate appearance in that span, topping 17 pitches seen by Rick Ankiel in 2008. Everyone says St. Louis is a baseball town, and my father absolutely was a baseball guy.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright delivers during the first inning of a baseball game Cleveland Indians, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)ST. LOUIS Adam Wainwright turned back the clock with a complete game on his 39th birthday as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 Sunday. St. Louis had mustered just three runs in the past 28 innings before the outburst. He was very sharp.PITCHING CYCLEWith the start against the Indians, Wainwright has made at least one versus every team except the Cardinals. Cardinals: RHP Dakota Hudson (0-2, 3.32 ERA) begins a three-game series in Cincinnati when he faces RHP Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.71) on Monday night.

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Roel Ramirez, bottom, returns to the mound after giving up a home run to Chicago White Sox's Jose Abreu, top, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO St. Louis Cardinals reliever Roel Ramirez became the first pitcher to allow four straight home runs in his major league debut when the Chicago White Sox hit him around in the fifth inning Sunday. Ramirez took the mound in the fifth with St. Louis leading 1-0. Manager Mike Shildt replaced Ramirez with Seth Elledge, and he struck out Edwin Encarnacion on three straight pitches to end the inning. Ramirez is among the players promoted by the Cardinals following a COVID-19 outbreak that stalled St. Louis' season for 2 1/2 weeks.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO The Chicago White Sox tied a major league record with four consecutive home runs, all against reliever Roel Ramirez in his major league debut, and went on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday. The White Sox got another solid start from Dallas Keuchel (3-2) and won for just the third time in 11 home games. St. Louis Dakota Hudson (0-2) held the White Sox to a run and two hits over four innings in his first start since July 26. White Sox: RHP Reynaldo Lpez (shoulder soreness), who threw Friday, is scheduled for another session Monday. White Sox: LHP Gio Gonzlez (0-1, 6.61) gets another shot at the Tigers and his first Chicago win.

FILE - In this Friday, July 24, 2020, file photo, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, right, celebrates a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game in St. Louis. Molina says hes one of the players on his team who has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Cardinals had returned 13 positive tests in their traveling party, seven of them players, forcing them to suspend their season. They were finally cleared to travel back to St. Louis late Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. Among the players that confirmed they tested positive for COVID-19 were a pair of All-Stars in catcher Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton (17) argues with home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 26, 2020, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS Pittsburgh's Derek Shelton staged baseball's first major, socially distanced umpire argument, then got his first victory as a big league manager as the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Sunday. Keller (1-0) faced St. Louis for the first time in his career. Cardinals RHP Kodi Whitley also made his major league debut in a relief appearance in the top seventh. Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (4-2, 3.17 ERA, 24 saves in 2019) makes his first start for the Cardinals since July 30, 2018, Tuesday in Minnesota against the Twins to start a seven-game road trip.