The Kansas City Royals have found their next manager, and the person they hired is the one who has been favored to land the job for quite some time.
The Royals have reached agreement on a contract with Mike Matheny, as first reported by Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com.
Per league source, the #Royals have hired Mike Matheny as their next manager. A press conference to introduce Matheny could happen today.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) October 31, 2019
Kansas City had a vacancy at manager after Ned Yost retired. He was with the team for the last nine years. Matheny, a former MLB catcher who won four Gold Glove Awards, was said to be the frontrunner for the job from the start.
Matheny, 49, managed the Cardinals from 2012-2018. They reached the World Series in his second season but he was fired last year amid a third straight season without a playoff appearance. Matheny used some questionable tactical decisions during his tenure, and some Royals fans have not been thrilled with the idea of his hiring. The team obviously believes he is the best man for the job.
