The St. Louis Cardinals won their most recent series over the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers to advance to 57-58 on the season. Only six games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, the Cardinals still have something to play for in 2025. The question is whether that should even be a priority.
St. Louis has made a concerted effort to think more long-term after a disappointing campaign in 2024. John Mozeliak tried (but failed) to trade Nolan Arenado and reset the clock on this roster. But therein lies the issue. Despite a stated goal of getting younger and establishing a more forward-thinking viewpoint, the St. Louis front office hasn't really delivered change.
Most of it is just bad luck (or unforced errors) coming back to haunt the Cards, such as giving both Arenado and Sonny Gray no-trade clauses. Expensive veterans are hard to trade, especially when afforded the power to veto moves. The Cards' farm system also ranks among the weakest in MLB, making it difficult to see "the vision," so to speak.
St. Louis manager Oli Marmol recently went to bat for the Cardinals' future in 2026 and beyond, but one question looms large on that front: Should Marmol even be the coach beyond this current season?
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Oli Mamol's uncertain future taints optimism for Cardinals future
Marmol inked a contract extension in 2024 that locks him into his Cardinals job through 2026. It falls to ownership and the new-look front office to decide if he should finish out the duration of that contract.
For now, Marmol has a lot of thoughts on how bright the future is in St. Louis.
"This lineup is what’s next,” Marmol told The Athletic. “Some of these guys in the ‘pen, that’s what’s next. There is way more enthusiasm in a year like this compared to a 2023 standpoint because you’re investing in what the future is going to look like. That wasn’t the case last time.”
Oli Marmol's future under Chaim Bloom remains tenuous at best
Former Boston Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom will assume the role of Cardinals general manager at season's end, taking over for a retiring John Mozeliak. This will be a huge change after almost two decades and a lot of winning seasons under Mozeliak. While Bloom comes with plenty of bonafides, his reputation in Boston was a bit complex. He known for building talent pipelines in the minor leagues, which the Cardinals absolutely needs. But it also stands in opposition to how Mozeliak has operated as a more win-now GM over the years.
St. Louis clearly prioritizes loyalty to its staff, starting at the top. But oftentimes a new GM means, sooner than later, a new coach. Bloom will want to rebuild St. Louis' roster in his image, but he may also want to hand-pick the manager in the dugout. If he's not solid on Marmol, there is absolutely a world in which Bloom's ascent aligns with a seismic change in the clubhouse.
Marmol's excitement for this lineup is understandable. The Cards are leaning on guys with controllable contracts and genuine futures in the organization, such as 2B Brendan Donovan, DH Iván Herrera, RHP Michael McGreevy and OF Alec Burleson. This are glimpses of what's to come, even as the Cardinals trudge through the remaining years of a long-defunct veteran core.
That said, it's fair to wonder if Marmol will actually be around to witness to next generation of Cardinals baseball in full bloom.