Cardinals manager Oli Marmol is currently facing a “scorching” hot seat due to his job being in jeopardy

The St. Louis captain might be down to his last strike.

Oli Marmol, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, is under fire for the second consecutive season after leading the team to 91 losses in 2023 and missing the playoffs the previous year.

Marmol’s first season as Cardinals manager concluded with St. Louis capturing the 2022 National League Central title with an amazing 93-69 record. Although the franchise had assistance from luminaries Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, and Yadier Molina, the youthful manager deserves credit for the excellent season.

Marmol’s tenure as St. Louis’ manager was brief, raising questions about his future with the 11-time World Series winners.

“Oliver Marmol’s days as a favoured punching bag of St. Louis sports fans could reach a fever pitch this summer, mostly because of circumstance,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Lynn Worthy wrote Thursday afternoon. “The Cardinals manager regularly sits atop a hot seat, but this winter, that position transitioned from simmering to scorching.”

Last October, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak misled supporters by claiming the team was undergoing an organisational reset. Instead of making deals to help St. Louis rebuild this winter, Mo and the front office sat stationary, not offloading any players from the payroll.

“‘The resources that are provided to him — the depth that’s provided to him — is not something that he can go out and provide on his own,’ Mozeliak said of Marmol,” according to Worthy’s transcription. “So he has to play the hand he was dealt. But with the idea that, absolutely, he would attempt to ensure that all of these young players receive at-bats. Even if certain players are struggling, they will still get playing time. But he can’t risk losing his clubhouse by not attempting to win.”

With the absence of four-time Gold Glove defender Paul Goldschmidt, 2024 National League leader Andrew Kittredge, and fan favourites Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn, it’s possible that the Cardinals may suffer harder this season than last.

The Cardinals, although facing adversity, are driven to succeed. If Marmol wants to conclude his contract with St. Louis in 2026, this season must end significantly better than the previous two.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol on the ‘hot seat’ as the unpredictable 2025 season approaches.

Sep 18, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) argues with umpire DJ Reyburn (17) after he was ejected from the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Some believe St. Louis is heading in the wrong direction.

After sacking Mike Schildt as manager of the San Diego Padres in 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals turned to Oli Marmol, their former first base and bench coach.

Marmol has failed to bring the Cardinals to the postseason despite an amazing 93-69 record and a National League Central title in his first year as manager in 2022.

It’s reasonable to say Marmol’s term as Cardinals manager has been difficult. Could this be the year St. Louis dismisses the 38-year-old manager?

“If you look at the various public-facing projection systems, there’s a real chance this Cardinals team manages a winning season,” CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson wrote Thursday when identifying managers who may be on the “‘hot seat'” once the current season finishes. “Still, I’m mentioning Marmol since some forces are pushing against him keeping this job after 2025. He’s entering his last contract year, which means he may become a free agent before the 2026 season if he doesn’t sign an extension first.”

Under Marmol’s leadership, the Cardinals ended with their poorest record (71-91) in 33 years two seasons ago, missing out on a National League Wild Card slot in 2024 by six games, and falling ten games below first place in their division.

“The catch is that the Cardinals are in the process of transitioning executive power over to Chaim Bloom, and it’s only fair to think he may want his own hire in place in the dugout,” according to Anderson. “Who knows?” I believe Marmol has the most potential for variability of everyone mentioned here.”

After led his team to miss the postseason by a long shot two years in a row, Marmol may be entering his final season as Cardinals manager.

There’s no knowing what 2025 will bring for St. Louis and its young big-league roster. If young players like Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Lars Nootbaar do well this season, Marmol may be able to see out his deal in 2026.

It’s difficult to see Bloom, the Cardinals’ new baseball manager, taking over from a struggling manager. Perhaps a St. Louis legend can lead the team back to glory.

NATE HAGERTY.

Nate Hagerty joins “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread the word about his favourite childhood team. Hagerty, a Boston native, decided at the age of six to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox’s magical season in 2004 did not stop Hagerty from supporting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Redbirds. For all business/marketing enquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please contact Scott Neville at nevilles@merrimack.edu.