Apr 9, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol makes a pitching change in the seventh inning during game against the Milwaukee Brewersat American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Oli Marmol Fuels Growing Excitement Around Young Cardinals

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Apr 16, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals bounced back from a tough series loss against the Boston Red Sox to take two out of three games from the Cleveland Guardians this week. Now, they head south to face the Houston Astros for a three-game series this weekend.

While it's still very early in the season, the Cardinals were not expected to be a contender in 2026, and there is a lot that needs to go right for them to actually be in the race.

However, that doesn't mean they aren't building towards something. After Wednesday's win over the Guardians, manager Oli Marmol expressed excitement about what the Cardinals are working towards.

Cardinals' Oli Marmol Shares Excitement for 2026 Cardinals

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"You're building something that's going to be fun to watch for a long time here," Marmol said after Wednesday's game. "That's what we're committed to."

For years, the Cardinals remained stuck in the middle under John Mozeliak, not fully committing to contending but also not fully committing to rebuilding. However, under Chaim Bloom, they have finally picked a direction, and it while there may be some short-term pain during this rebuild, the Cardinals can actually say that they are working towards something.

In a few short years, the Cardinals will have had time to execute Bloom's plan and get themselves up off the mat after several down seasons. It's been since 2022 that the Cardinals were in the postseason, but now that they have a clear direction, there is at least a light at the end of the tunnel.

And as time goes on, what the Cardinals are building towards will become clearer. The goal is to create a long-term contender and get the organization back to where it needs to be in terms of developing good players.

That has always been the foundation of Cardinals baseball, and if the Cardinals can get back to that, there is a lot to look forward to in St. Louis, and there will certainly be even more reasons for excitement about this team.

The Cardinals haven't been a true contender in several years, but they truly are building towards something exciting. Marmol sees it, and the fanbase is also starting to see what the future holds for the organization.

If the Cardinals can tap into that, then the future is going to be very bright in St. Louis, which could lead to more success for the Cardinals.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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