Cardinals Extend Manager Oli Marmol's Contract Through 2028

The 39-year-old has led the team to the playoffs once in his first four seasons as manager.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The St. Louis Cardinals have signed manager Oli Marmol to a two-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the 2028 season. Marmol, 39, took over as the Cardinals' manager in 2022 after the team parted ways with Mike Shildt. While Marmol led the Cardinals to the playoffs in his first season, the team has struggled the past two years, going 71-91 in 2023 and 78-84 in 2025.

Why it matters

The Cardinals are in a transitional period, having traded away several veteran stars as they look to rebuild with a younger core. Extending Marmol's contract shows the team's confidence in his ability to guide the franchise through this rebuilding phase and develop the next generation of Cardinals players.

The details

Marmol, who has been with the Cardinals organization since being drafted in 2007, replaced Shildt as manager after the 2021 season. In his first year, the team won 93 games and the NL Central title, but was swept in the Wild Card Series. The past two seasons have been more challenging, with the Cardinals finishing under .500 both years. New Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom expressed confidence in Marmol's ability to lead the team moving forward as it transitions to a younger roster.

  • Marmol took over as Cardinals manager in 2022.
  • The Cardinals went 93-69 and won the NL Central in Marmol's first season in 2022.
  • The Cardinals fell to 71-91 in 2023 and 78-84 in 2025 under Marmol's leadership.

The players

Oli Marmol

The 39-year-old has been the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals since 2022, after previously serving as the team's first base and bench coach.

Mike Shildt

The former Cardinals manager who led the team to the playoffs in each of his three seasons (2019-2021) before being replaced by Oli Marmol.

Chaim Bloom

The new president of baseball operations for the Cardinals, who took over after the 2025 season and has overseen the team's transition to a younger roster.

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What they’re saying

“As I've gotten to know Oli, I've seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time — and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do. He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow. I am energized to continue working with him towards the on-field success that we expect and that our fans deserve.”

— Chaim Bloom, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The Cardinals will look to continue developing their young core of players under Marmol's leadership, with the goal of returning to the playoffs in the coming seasons.

The takeaway

Marmol's contract extension shows the Cardinals' commitment to stability and continuity as they transition to a new era, with the hope that he can guide the team back to postseason contention by developing their promising young talent.