Cardinals Legends Reportedly Asked Skipper About Coaching Roles After Retiring

Former St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz revealed an interesting piece of information from manager Oli Marmol, that after the Cardinals were eliminated from the postseason in 2022, Pujols and Molina both spoke to him about possible coaching roles.

Molina returned to St. Louis twice this year as a guest coach and has had interest in joining Marmol's staff for several years. He was brought on in an advisory role prior to the 2024 season.

Both have expressed interest in becoming full-time managers. Pujols is currently the leading candidate to take the role with the Los Angeles Angels after the departure of Ron Washington and managed Leones del Escogido of the Dominican League. He also is set to be the manager of the Dominican national team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, while Molina managed Team Puerto Rico in 2023 and will do so again next year.

However, it is important to note that both legends wanted to work with Marmol and strongly considered staying in the organization after retiring. It's also a testament to Marmol and the work he has done as the skipper of the Cardinals since 2022.

While Pujols is likely to land the managerial job with the Angels, they have not agreed upon a contract yet, and if Pujols ultimately doesn't land the role, it's always possible that he could end up joining Marmol's coaching staff at some point this offseason.

Having Pujols and Molina back would give the team two influential voices that would have the respect of the clubhouse instantly. Both could make the Cardinals better, even during a rebuild period.

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens next with the two legends. Molina is a strong candidate to be part of the coaching staff in 2026, but Pujols may also get that chance if the Angels pick a different manager.