Oliver Marmol will not participate in the 2024 season as a lame duck coach.
On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals captain received a two-year contract extension to remain with the team through the 2026 season.
After a meeting Thursday night between Marmol, President Bill DeWitt Jr., and Director of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak, the two sides were able to quickly reach an agreement. A press conference announcing the move was announced on Friday.
“It means a lot,” Marmol said at a news conference. “The fact that they have agreed to let me continue this work means so much. Their support will ensure that the way I do things will be relevant for years to come. It’s special to me that I believe this will happen.”
At 37 years old, he is MLB's youngest manager, taking over the job following the retirements of previous managers Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny. Marmol previously coached on St. Louis' staff from 2017 to 2021. He was promoted from first base coach to the team's bench coach in 2019 and then promoted to manager for the 2022 season.
Marmol has been in MLB since being selected in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB draft. His coaching career in St. Louis began in 2011, when he became the rookie-level hitting coach.
“Oli is a respected member of the Cardinals organization who has progressed through our player development system and made a successful transition to coaching at the major league level,” DeWitt said in a statement. “We are delighted to be in touch with Oli over the next three seasons.”
In his debut season as manager, the Cardinals won the National League Central Division with a record of 93 wins and 69 losses and advanced to the postseason. St. Louis ultimately lost in the Wild Card Series to the Philadelphia Phillies, who would represent the National League in the 2022 World Series.
A year later, the Cardinals were behind in the National League Central Division, finishing with a record of 71 wins and 91 losses. This was the team's fewest wins in a 162-game season since 1990, when the Cardinals went 70-92.
Marmol had a record of 164 wins and 160 losses in his first two seasons. He admitted before the extension that he believed he was coaching for a job heading into 2024.
“This is a high-stakes environment,” Marmol said. “If you're worried, this is it. [manager’s] That seat is not for you…I want the best in that clubhouse, in that dugout, in that staff, and I will continue to do that. ”
