Albert Pujols reaction to manager speculation should be music to Cardinals fans’ ears

The St. Louis Cardinals that we see in the 2025 MLB season are going to look much different than the Redbirds of the future. John Mozeliak is a lame duck with Chaim Bloom already in the building and likely to take full control of the reins in 2026. Oli Marmol might be in a similar position with his job security as manager. And we know that the roster is going to get turned over immensely already.

There's a lot to fix or, at least, that will be attempted to fix when it comes to the Cardinals in the coming years. Bloom ostensibly tore down the Red Sox during his tenure in Boston but they seem on the precipice of reaping the benefits. It will be some time before we see that come to fruition, though. In the meantime, it raises the question of who will lead this team on the field if Marmol is, in fact, replaced.

One thing Cardinals fans have been pining for is for franchise legends like Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols to potentially return to the organization and usher in a new era of baseball in St. Louis.

While nothing is certain, Pujols' latest endeavor and, more pressingly, his comments thereafter make that seem like more of a possibility for the future of the Cards than ever before.

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Albert Pujols wins LIDOM title and gives Cardinals fans hope of return as manager

Pujols has been managing the Leones del Escogido this winter in the Dominican winter league (LIDOM). And he captured the Copa Banreservas trophy this week for the team he cheered for growing up as their manager. As he reflected on his accomplishment, though, his comments, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, appeared to indicate that he's ready for bigger opportunities in the managerial world.

"I feel that I can offer so much to players and to teams," Pujols said. "And it's about growing and helping. It's not about me. It's about helping others, and having that passion. I have that love and that passion for the game. This was my job, this was my life. For me, that's why I want to do it. If the opportunity comes, why not?"

The Cardinals have to be the most obvious fit for that. Not only do Marmol's days appear numbered (and some might argue it's a miracle he still has a job in St. Louis), but Pujols' assertion about helping others grow seems ideal for the state of what this team will be moving forward. If the Cards are about to enter a youth movement, how could a franchise legend and future Hall of Famer who is eager to develop players not be a top choice?

There's still a lot of time between now and when Pujols' name would come up in a Cardinals managerial search. If you're a fan of this franchise, though, the 45-year-old rightly has you dreaming about what good things could still be yet to come based on how he succeeded and his prevailing thoughts following the winter in LIDOM.