St. Louis Cardinals announce Oli Marmol will return in 2026

Rodney Knuppel

St. Louis Cardinals announce Oli Marmol will return in 2026 image

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

New President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom confirmed Tuesday that the manager will return next season for the final year of his contract. The announcement came following Bloom’s introductory press conference.

Marmol, 39, completed his fourth year as manager with a 78–84 record. While the losing season might have raised questions about his future, the Cardinals had already emphasized player development over immediate results. The transition followed former president John Mozeliak’s departure at the end of the 2025 campaign.

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In his career, the manager is 325-323. The Cardinals have missed the postseason in the last three seasons with him the helm.

There was some uncertainty as to whether Bloom would prefer a new manager, but it became clear during the season that Marmol would be retained. Despite limited offseason additions and a midseason sell-off, St. Louis stayed in the postseason race until the final series of the regular season.

Next Steps in St. Louis

The Cardinals now expect to finalize Marmol’s 2026 coaching staff in the coming weeks. His return shows some continuity as the franchise moves toward its long-term development strategy.

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.