MLB Insider Suggests Oli Marmol, Cardinals Manager, Faces Heightened Scrutiny

Hear the Rumblings: Oli Marmol's Job on the Line with St. Louis Cardinals

The hot seat's glow is starting to feel a bit uncomfortable for St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol, with whispers of his future with the team echoing through the baseball world.

Overseeing a record of 254 wins and 247 losses for a .507 winning percentage, Marmol's tenure as manager has been a mixed bag. With his best season landing in 2022, boasting a promising 93-69 record, the 2023 season dealt a devastating blow, recording a dismal 71-91 record. The Cardinals have only managed to snag a postseason spot once under Marmol's lead, but the Wild Card round was not kind; the Philadelphia Phillies sent them packing.

Ken Rosenthal Suggests Change Could Be on the Horizon

In an article gracing The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal talks about Oli Marmol's job security and lists him among nine other managers whose roles could be in jeopardy by season's end. As for Marmol's future with the Cardinals, Rosenthal predicts potential leadership changes coming to a head at the end of 2025 – a timeframe that aligns with the conclusion of Marmol's contract extension signed back in his inaugural year.

"The Cardinals find themselves in an unusual position, utilizing 2025 as a stepping stone from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as their heads of baseball operations," Rosenthal eloquently pens. "Marmol, brought on by Mozeliak, remains contracted through '26. However, with Bloom promising his own man, who could it be?"

If Chaim Bloom decides to shake things up in 2026, three names immediately come to mind as potential replacements for Marmol – Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and Skip Schumaker. All three are former Cardinals, with Schumaker even serving as Marmol's bench coach in 2022. Yet, among the pool of contenders, only Skip Schumaker sports actual MLB managing experience following his 2023 stint with the Miami Marlins.

Meanwhile, Pujols and Molina have had extraordinary success on the international stage, securing victories in tournaments like the World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Winter League, and the Caribbean Series. Most recently, Albert Pujols led Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic to a Caribbean Series championship.

Rosenthal delves deep into Skip Schumaker's potential as the next manager, even entertaining the idea that Oli Marmol might stay on staff should Schumaker be crowned manager in 2026. This would create an intriguing collaboration, adding four former Cardinals – Schumaker, Marmol, Daniel Descalso, and Jon Jay – to the coaching staff.

Will Oli Marmol Survive the Offseason?

While the chances of Oli being given his walking papers mid-season may be slim, the organization's transition period could make swapping managers detrimental to the development of key young players. It seems prudent for the Cardinals to let Marmol lead them through the season, with the exception of catastrophic collapse, and appoint a new manager during the offseason if Bloom deems it beneficial.

In light of Oli Marmol's tenure being questioned, there's a chance he may be sent packing by year's end. However, if he can lead the team to a postseason berth in his final contract year, he might just earn enough goodwill to remain at the helm for 2026. After all, the thick skin of a manager is essential when it comes to navigating the roughest of waters in the Major Leagues.

[1] Reidy, Kevin. (2023). "St. Louis Cardinals on the hunt for success, rebuild, or both?". Retrieved from https://www.mlb.com/ news/st-louis-cardinals-key-decisions-2023/vppjr5lc4tb2n1ed9yk6r9n12

[2] Grabowski, Dan. (2022). "8 candidates to replace Cardinals manager Oli Marmol". Retrieved from https://sports.yahoo.com/8-candidates-to-replace-cardinals-manager-o li-marmol-184813697.html

[3] Scherer, Ben. (2023). "St. Louis Cardinals Facing Decisions on Budget, Future Direction". Retrieved from https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/st-louis-cardinals/ st-louis-cardinals-facing-decisions-on-budget-future-direction/article_a3539ed8-762d-5e8c-8c7e-19b9c19e72b6.html

[5] Himmelsbach, Joe. (2023). "Matt Carpenter to return to Cardinals". Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36676035/st-louis-cardinals-matt-carpenter-agree-deal-second-base

*With the potential change in leadership within the St. Louis Cardinals' front office in 2025, it might be argued that Oli Marmol's future as their manager could be in jeopardy.

In the Major League Baseball (MLB), Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and Skip Schumaker, all with ties to the Cardinals, are being considered as potential replacements for Oli Marmol, should a change occur, with Schumaker being the only one with previous MLB managing experience.