With St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol nearing the end of his contract, speculation about his job security has been swirling among fans and analysts for months.
Marmol holds a 254-247 record as manager, translating to a .507 winning percentage. His most successful season came in 2022, when he guided the team to a 93-69 record. However, the following year saw a steep decline, with the Cardinals finishing 71-91. During his tenure, the team has reached the postseason only once—and they were quickly eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Overall, Marmol’s time at the helm has fallen short of expectations, placing him firmly on the hot seat.
Ken Rosenthal lists St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol as someone whose job is in question.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal included Oli Marmol among nine MLB managers who could potentially be let go by season’s end. When addressing Marmol’s future with the Cardinals, Rosenthal pointed to the upcoming leadership transition at the conclusion of the 2025 season—timing that aligns with the end of Marmol’s current contract.
“The Cardinals are in a strange spot, using the 2025 season to shift from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as their head of baseball operations,” Rosenthal wrote. “Marmol, hired by Mozeliak, is signed through 2026. It only makes sense Bloom will want to bring in his own guy. But who?”
There are three clear contenders to replace Marmol if Bloom chooses a new direction next year: Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and Skip Schumaker—all former Cardinals. Schumaker, who served as Marmol’s bench coach in 2022, is the only one with major league managerial experience, having managed the Marlins in 2023.
Molina and Pujols, while lacking MLB managerial experience, have found success on the international stage. Molina managed Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and has worked with Pujols in the Dominican Winter League and the Caribbean Series, where Pujols recently led Leones del Escogido to a championship.
Rosenthal spent significant time in his piece discussing Schumaker, even suggesting that if he becomes manager in 2026, Marmol could remain on the coaching staff. That scenario would bring together four former Cardinals—Schumaker, Marmol, Daniel Descalso, and Jon Jay—on the same bench. I’ve even floated the idea of keeping Marmol on staff if he’s relieved midseason.
That said, an in-season firing seems unlikely. The Cardinals are in a transitional phase, and disrupting the clubhouse—especially during a youth movement—could hinder the development of key prospects. Unless there’s a dramatic collapse, the most logical move is to let Marmol finish out the year and then reassess.
Marmol has been under pressure for a while, and his future remains uncertain. A playoff appearance in the final year of his deal might be enough to win over Bloom and secure another shot in 2026.
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