Molina doesn't appreciate Matheny implying he's worn out

Bad blood may be brewing in St. Louis after Mike Matheny suggested that Yadier Molina's workload is getting to him.

Following the Cardinals' 4-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, a game in which the manager started catcher Carson Kelly in place of Molina, Matheny was asked what led to the decision.

"Yadi's caught a lot," Matheny said, according to Mitchell Forde of the St. Louis Dispatch. "Yesterday, just kind of watching him go around the bases, too, you could tell that he's - you know."

Though Matheny abruptly stopped his train of thought, he seemed to be expressing a belief that Molina needed rest. At least, that's how the veteran catcher took it - and he wasn't pleased.

On Friday morning, Molina posted a screen shot of Matheny's quote on Instagram with the caption: "I train to play 174 games because that's what it takes to be champion, I'm not tired and the day I feel tired I'll express it myself. #misinforming"

Molina later spoke with reporters and said he felt Matheny called him out and his post on social media was meant to stand his ground.

"It's July 28, I'm ready. I want to make that clear," Molina said, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Dispatch.

The 35-year-old, who leads all qualified catchers with 85 starts this year, has been one of baseball's most durable backstops since he entered the league in 2004.

Since his first full campaign with the Cardinals in 2005, Molina has started over 1,500 games behind the dish, an average of 120 starts a season.

In spring training, the Cardinals and Molina agreed to a three-year, $60-million extension that made him the highest-paid catcher in baseball per year. In 85 games this season, he's hit .275/.307/.414 with 10 home runs - his most since 2013 - and 44 RBIs.