The St. Louis Cardinals are facing some changes in the offseason. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak is stepping down, and Chaim Bloom is taking over.
With that change comes some first decisions from Bloom in the offseason. While the player personnel changes will be at the forefront, Curt Bishop of Fansided.com predicts that Bloom will make a friendly decision for manager Oli Marmol.
“It’s fair to wonder if Bloom might go a different direction and search for a new manager,” Bishop writes, “but it’s more likely that he’ll hold onto Marmol and give him a contract extension.”
With the 2026 MLB season being the final year of Marmol’s current deal, Bloom has a very important decision to make in the offseason. He needs to determine whether to keep him or pivot elsewhere.
St. Louis sold assets this season, but it’s not the fault of Marmol that the team has struggled. As Bishop writes, “Marmol has the trust and respect of the players, even through some tough times…”
MORE: Cardinals’ trade acquisition shares five-word message with fans
Moving on from a manager who has gained the trust of his players wouldn’t be a popular decision. Keeping him, at least for a couple more seasons, is not out of the question and is the more likely solution for Bloom and the Cardinals.
While change is coming in the offseason, Bishop predicts that nothing will happen to Marmol, even if some fans want him gone. The Cardinals are at a crossroads, and Bloom will be the one in charge.
One of his first decisions could be signing Marmol to an extension beyond the 2026 MLB season. Giving him a chance with a revamped roster is worth looking at, especially since the team this season isn’t too far off from being a postseason contender.
MORE MLB NEWS:
