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MLB MLB Spring Training Oliver Marmol has managed the Cardinals since 2022. John Fisher / Getty Images The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Sunday that they extended manager Oli Marmol’s contract for two years, taking it through the 2028 season. Marmol, 39, replaced Mike Shildt as the team’s manager after the 2021 season, after Shildt led the Cardinals to the postseason in each of his three seasons at the helm. The Cardinals won 93 games and clinched the National League Central in Marmol’s first year as manager but got swept in the Wild Card Series and immediately fell on hard times — particularly for a franchise that had enjoyed 15 consecutive winning seasons. Advertisement The Cardinals fell to 71-91 in 2023, then bounced back to some extent in 2024 with 83 wins but fell short of a postseason berth. Marmol entered the 2025 season in an uncomfortable spot, as the team made clear its intention to groom younger players. Adding more uncertainty was the knowledge that it would be John Mozeliak’s final season as the team’s president of baseball operations, as the club planned to replace him with former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. After finishing 78-84 last season, St. Louis’ youth movement accelerated. Bloom traded Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan. As the Cardinals look toward the future, only two players — Jo Jo Romero and Lars Nootbaar — aren’t under control through the 2028 season. And after Sunday’s announced extension, Bloom expressed confidence in Marmol’s ability to lead the next group of Cardinals players. “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, ” Bloom said in a team statement. “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. ” Marmol is the 51st manager in franchise history and ranks 11th in wins with 325. He’s been with the organization since the Cardinals drafted him in the sixth round in 2007. After playing in the minors for four seasons, Marmol coached and managed in the Cardinals’ system until 2017, when he was named the big-league team’s first-base coach. He served as the bench coach from 2019 through 2021 before replacing Shildt, who went on to manage the San Diego Padres to playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle