Cardinals legend Albert Pujols officially set to take on new managing gig

As Albert Pujols continues to make steps toward his goal of becoming a manager at the Major League level, he now has a new gig in store where he'll have the opportunity to show his managerial chops to the St. Louis Cardinals and other potential organizations.

Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes just reported that Pujols is set to become the manager of the Dominican Republic for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, an incredible honor for Pujols to manage his home country and another piece of evidence that he is well on his way toward that MLB gig.

Pujols recently managed Leones del Escogido during the Dominican Winter League, leading them to a championship and a chance to represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean series. There, Pujols once again led his team to glory, holding Mexico to just one hit in the final on his way to capturing that championship as well.

Pujols has made it known that he would like to manage at the MLB level one day, and Cardinals fans have rightfully become enamored with the potential of him coming back to St. Louis to lead the Cardinals. Legendary teammate Yadier Molina also has aspirations of managing one day, but personally, I'd see Pujols having the leg up on Molina if the Cardinals looked to make a change when Chaim Bloom takes over.

With that being said, we have no indications that the Cardinals will be interested in moving on from Marmol after this season. While it has been a rocky few years since leading the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2022, Marmol still has the support of the organization. But it is fair to wonder if that support level will change when Bloom takes over.

Regardless, it is hard to imagine Pujols having to wait all that much longer for a gig to come his way. My guess is he'd love to manage the Cardinals, but if they don't come knocking, I have no doubt he will consider other opportunities. And frankly, I am sure other teams will be very interested in his services.

All-time greats like Pujols do not typically continue their careers in the dugout, and oftentimes legendary players end up not being the best coaches. But, in the case of Pujols, players continue to rave about his ability to communicate with them and lead the club. There is a level of respect and honor that someone like Pujols commands when he steps into a clubhouse, and paired with his genuine desire to make the people around him better, that kind of persona has the chance to be an incredible manager.

I know if it were up to many fans, Marmol would not be the club's manager anymore, but I do hope people give him a chance this year and are open to what he can do with the 2025 Cardinals. I really do like Marmol as the Cardinals manager and hope the best for him, but I can't lie, I'm also very intrigued about the potential of Pujols serving in that role someday.