Cardinals Keeping Marmol Makes Sense, But It’s a Huge Mistake

I was always told that using common sense is your best strategy. That may be true more often than not, but I would argue that the St. Louis Cardinals deciding to keep manager Oli Marmol for the coming season both makes perfect sense, yet might also be a terrible mistake.

The St. Louis Cardinals have announced Oli Marmol will return as manager for 2026

I want to be clear that I am not a hater when it comes to Oli Marmol. He's shown that he's a very capable manager and is not the reason why the Cardinals have not made the playoffs the past 3 seasons. But, I thought the new President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom might let Oli Marmol go as a message to fans that there would be a new direction for 2026. I was obviously wrong about that and I now understand why. Jim Hayes Serving it Up podcast with Lance Lynn, Matt Holliday and Kyle Gibson explained the likely reason was the possibility of a work stoppage after the 2026 season when the collective bargaining agreement ends. Why hire a manager when there might be a delay or no season at all in 2027? Yes, I get it. That makes sense.

If the St. Louis Cardinals bringing back Oli Marmol to fulfill the last year of his contract as the team's manager makes sense, why might it be a huge mistake?

It will someday be crucial for the St. Louis Cardinals to find the right leader. As much as I think Oli Marmol is likely a good manager and possibly a better person, the Cardinals fans as a whole will not follow him. The huge attendance decline during this past season was largely due to the fanbase showing their displeasure for the leadership of John Mozeliak and Oli Marmol. Even with Mozeliak retiring, that does not change the perception that Marmol represents what the fans are so unhappy about. There's a good chance that attendance in 2026 will be even worse than 2025 unless Wetherholt and Doyle make the major league roster.

The other thing I fear is potential great candidates like Skip Schumaker will no longer be available. Reports say that Skip was just given a 4-year contract as manager of the Texas Rangers. Albert Pujols is the leading candidate to become the new manager of the Anaheim Angels. You have to wonder if Yadi Molina will also be given the chance to manage a major league roster soon. All 3 were thought of as good potential leaders for the St. Louis Cardinals going forward. All 3 may now be committed elsewhere.

The bottom line is the St. Louis Cardinals are at a crossroads where their next decisions will determine how quickly or if the team returns to being a perennial playoff contender. Missing the opportunity to bring in a manager the fanbase will rally behind is something this beloved team cannot afford. Let's hope the team's approach for 2026 won't be yet another regret.