When he was introduced as Philadelphia Phillies manager in 2017, Gabe Kapler said his goal was to bring a World Series title to team owner John Middleton.
After two seasons of postseason-free baseball in Philadelphia, Kapler is now out of the job, according to multiple reports.
The Phillies on Thursday fired Kapler, whose team (81-81) underachieved even with the addition of big-money free agent Bryce Harper and whose nontraditional, analytical style irritated many of the franchise's passionate fans.
Philly took a gamble when it made Kapler the 54th manager in team history in November 2017, hoping a former big leaguer short on managerial experience -- he previously had managed only one season in the minors (2007) -- could lead them back to October baseball for the first time since 2011.