ST. LOUIS — The Chicago Cubs suspended volatile outfielder Milton Bradley for the rest of the season Sunday, one day after he criticized the team in a newspaper interview.

Bradley was disciplined for conduct detrimental to the team. General manager Jim Hendry said he decided to send Bradley home after learning of the player's remarks in the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald of Illinois. Bradley, scratched from Saturday's lineup due to left knee soreness, was quoted as saying "you understand why they haven't won in 100 years here."

Bradley struggled this year throughout his first season with the Cubs and was booed vigorously by home fans at Wrigley Field. He was hitting .257 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs.

Bradley has two years remaining on a three-year, $30 million contract that he signed as a free agent last offseason. Hendry said he didn't know if the relationship was "fixable."

"I just decided late last night that's what I was going to do, and I didn't give it a lot of thought what's going to transpire moving forward," Hendry said. "I just felt like it was time to do this."

Micah Hoffpauir was in the lineup playing right field, Bradley's spot, for the finale of a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.

The Cubs, who haven't won the World Series since 1908, began the day eight games out of the NL wild-card spot with 15 to play. They were 11 games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.

The oft-injured Bradley has a history of boorish behavior during 10 years in the majors with seven teams.

He was sent home by Cubs manager Lou Piniella during a June game following an angry outburst in the dugout, and suspended for a game after arguing with umpire Larry Vanover when he was called out on strikes with the bases loaded April 16.