What Oli Marmol's return as manager means for Cardinals in 2026

What Oli Marmol's return means for the Cardinals in 2026

Marmol clearly has the confidence of the entire Cardinals organization and his players. However, his retention confirms that St. Louis will enter a rebuild and prioritize player development over wins in 2026.

The Cardinals still have work to do at the minor league level before they can contend again. Ultimately, keeping Marmol around for another year makes sense and is the right move.

St. Louis was as many as nine games above the .500 mark on June 29. Marmol had led them from a 14-19 start back into the postseason race, squeezing the most out of what was by all accounts a lackluster roster constructed by Mozeliak. The Cardinals were not officially eliminated from the playoff race until Sept. 24, despite selling at the trade deadline.

Luckily, Bloom has a strong track record of drafting and developing, dating back to his days with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2005 to 2019. He also built a strong farm system with the Boston Red Sox from 2020 to 2023. Bloom's influence is already being felt in St. Louis, as evidenced by draft picks such as JJ Wetherholt and Liam Doyle over the past two years. That should give Marmol more to work with in 2026 and in the near future.

Marmol has been associated with the Cardinals for several years, having served in various roles on the coaching staff. He has been the team's manager since 2022 and was at the helm when players such as Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn, Thomas Saggese, Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson were promoted to the majors, so keeping continuity for St. Louis is the right plan, especially in a rebuilding year.

Bloom's track record of developing talent and Marmol's experience with the current crop of young Cardinals players could be a solid blend for St. Louis as they look to the future.