Oli Marmol Emerging as Early Frontrunner for Manager of the Year
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is gaining well-deserved praise for his leadership during a season that was widely viewed as a transitional year for the franchise. With the team on a nine-game win streak and sitting just one game out of first place in their division, Marmol’s strategic decisions are fueling hope in St. Louis and possibly putting him in early contention for Manager of the Year honors.
Although some labeled this season as a “rebuild,” a description the Cardinals would likely dispute, the team’s unexpected competitiveness has drawn national attention. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently applauded Marmol for guiding the Cardinals through what many expected to be a down year.
Marmol has played a crucial role in this surprising success. Early in the season, he and pitching coach Dusty Blake experimented with a six-man rotation to ease starters into the long grind of the season. However, when the bullpen struggled significantly, they pivoted shifting Steven Matz from the rotation into a full-time relief role. With a lighter schedule in May, the change was feasible and brought much-needed stability to the bullpen. Solid contributions from Matz, Kyle Leahy, and newcomer Phil Maton have helped settle what had been a volatile unit.
While Marmol can’t be held solely accountable for the bullpen’s rough start—especially with relievers like Ryan Fernandez, John King, and JoJo Romero struggling—he has managed the staff well given the circumstances. His adjustments have coincided with the rotation working deeper into games, easing the bullpen’s burden.
On the starting side, Marmol has handled Miles Mikolas with particular care. Although Mikolas has generally pitched well in 2025, Marmol has avoided overextending him. In his most recent outing, Mikolas was pulled after just 5.1 innings and 69 pitches, despite allowing only one run. The cautious approach prevents opponents from gaining the upper hand as Mikolas faces the lineup for a third time.
Offensively, Marmol has been more proactive with lineup changes than in previous seasons. He dropped Willson Contreras in the batting order during his early-season slump and elevated Masyn Winn to the No. 2 spot. With a deep lineup featuring several hot hitters, Marmol has effectively adjusted batting orders and playing time based on performance.
Defense has also been a major asset for St. Louis, leading the majors in Defensive Outs Above Average. Much of that success stems from Marmol’s commitment to defense-first lineups and the addition of coaches Jon Jay and Daniel Descalso. Even struggling hitters like Jordan Walker have shown marked improvement defensively, with Walker crediting Jay for his progress in the field.
Some good fortune has certainly helped Marmol’s cause. A key move—transitioning Willson Contreras from catcher to first base—could have gone poorly. But thanks to Contreras’ offseason work and willingness to adapt, he has become a steady presence at the position, rating one run above average.
Marmol has clearly matured as a manager. Gone are the puzzling choices of earlier seasons, like pinch-hitting Brandon Crawford in key moments. If the Cardinals continue outperforming expectations, Marmol may be a serious contender for the Manager of the Year award.
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