The St. Louis Cardinals are navigating a front office transition as president of baseball operations John Mozeliak steps down and Chaim Bloom takes over the reins.
Now that Bloom’s settling in, he’s got some immediate decisions to make this offseason. While roster moves will grab most of the attention, Curt Bishop of Fansided.com thinks Bloom’s first move might be extending manager Oli Marmol.
“It’s fair to wonder if Bloom might go a different direction and search for a new manager, but it’s more likely that he’ll hold onto Marmol and give him a contract extension.”
The timing makes sense. Marmol’s current deal runs through 2026, so Bloom needs to decide whether he’s his guy or if it’s time to pivot.
Here’s the thing – St. Louis was selling assets this season, and you can’t really pin the team’s struggles on Marmol. As Bishop points out, “Marmol has the trust and respect of the players, even through some tough times.”
That’s not nothing.
Moving on from a manager who’s earned his clubhouse would be a tough sell, especially when the roster construction was working against him. Keeping Marmol for at least a couple more seasons seems like the safer play for Bloom.
While change is definitely coming this offseason, Bishop’s prediction suggests Marmol won’t be part of it – even if some fans are calling for his head. The Cardinals are at a crossroads, and Bloom’s the one who’ll determine which direction they’re heading.
An extension beyond 2026 could be one of his first moves. The way I see it, giving Marmol a chance with a revamped roster makes sense. This Cardinals team wasn’t that far from postseason contention, and with the right moves, they could be back in the mix sooner than later.
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