Former general manager and current writer for The Athletic, Jim Bowden, recently shared 25 predictions for the 2025 MLB season. Among them was his projection for which managers would lead the league in ejections. For the American League, he chose Yankees skipper Aaron Boone, predicting he’d be tossed seven times.
In the National League—and leading all of baseball—Bowden expects St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol to take the top spot, estimating he’ll be ejected from eight games.
Marmol and Boone each led their respective leagues in ejections in 2024, with six apiece, making Bowden’s prediction a logical one.
Marmol has a reputation for standing up for his players, and with more young talent expected to join the roster, that tendency could be amplified. Less experienced players may not get the same leeway as veterans when disputing close calls, potentially prompting more intervention from their manager.
Since the implementation of the modern instant replay system in 2014, confrontations between managers and umpires have become less frequent, and with the automated ball-strike system being tested for the first time in 2025 spring training, such disputes could further decline.
Marmol’s most notable clashes with umpires have involved C.B. Bucknor, with tensions flaring in both 2022 and 2023. On August 21, 2022, Bucknor ejected Marmol after a heated argument over a called strike on Nolan Arenado.
The feud carried over into 2023 spring training when Bucknor reportedly refused to shake Marmol’s hand before a game, leading Marmol to call the umpire “classless” and criticize his officiating.
While fans generally prefer umpires who stay out of the spotlight, a manager’s willingness to passionately defend his players can inspire confidence in the clubhouse and entertain the crowd. With Marmol’s job potentially on the line and his every move under scrutiny, expect him to continue being a vocal advocate for his team in 2025.
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