Cardinals' Oli Marmol Praised: 'Not Talked About Nearly Enough'

In a season where the St. Louis Cardinals were projected to languish near the bottom of Major League Baseball, manager Oli Marmol has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround.

St. Louis was 44-36 record entering Wednesday, sitting just 2.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs and tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for third place in the National League Wild Card race.

The 2025 Cardinals have defied expectations under Marmol’s leadership. His ability to balance player development, manage egos, and maintain a competitive edge has earned him praise, most recently from The Athletic’s Katie Woo during an episode of the Foul Territory podcast.

"They were projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball," Woo pointed out.

"I certainly didn't see them as playoff contenders come the last week of June, and he's been able to do that by managing playing time, promising playing time to players that the front office highlighted while also keeping tempers and egos in check in that clubhouse. As you all know, it can be very difficult when you have players that you have to sit because other players were promised playing time ahead of them. He's managed all of that extremely well."

"He's kept his pitching staff healthy, he's kept a lot of these young players on track, if not ahead of schedule for the future, and based on just where the club was a year ago to where they are now, everyone seems to be on board with this transition season," Woo continued.

"That could have easily gone sideways, especially in April, where they really just didn't have a good month. But he has just done some tremendous work, and I hope we continue to talk about this narrative, because in my opinion, what he's doing in St. Louis is not talked about nearly enough.”

After a disappointing 71-91 record in 2023 and missing the playoffs in 2024, the Cardinals entered 2025 with low expectations and a youth-heavy lineup.

Marmol’s work has not only positioned the Cardinals for a potential postseason run but also laid a foundation for sustained success. As Woo notes, his efforts deserve greater recognition.