Cardinals manager gives an inspiring quote on the team's mindset

The St. Louis Cardinals are struggling. Though they've started the season above expectations, this past stretch against NL Central opponents has certainly been one to forget. After dropping a series at home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and going on a 1-4 road trip against the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals return home for a critical series against the Chicago Cubs.

Even if the Cardinals are falling back down to earth and can't continue the hot run they started the season on, it's certainly not because they've gotten complacent. In an interview with myself, Josh Jacobs, and Sandy McMillan on the Dealin' the Cards Podcast, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol explained the mindset the team has after outplaying expectations for the first two months.

When asked about the mentality of the Cardinals' front office during the first year of a rebuild, Marmol recalled an interaction with President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. While at a dinner event, Marmol, Bloom, and other Cardinals players in attendance received a standing ovation. However, Bloom quickly turned to Marmol and expressed that his front office regime hadn't accomplished anything yet, despite a hot start. "We haven't accomplished anything. We've won a few games. So what?" Marmol told us during our conversation.

Oli Marmol has made it clear that the Cardinals have bigger goals to accomplish

For a team such as the Cardinals, who was largely projected to finish last in the National League Central, to remain competitive in the best division in baseball so far and hold a playoff spot two months into the season is a remarkable feat, but Marmol's quote indicates that the Cardinals' true goals are not short-sighted. The goal of Bloom's regime is not to patchwork a team that could earn a Wild Card spot if everything goes right, but rather to build a perennial contender that is expected to compete for the World Series every year.

The Cardinals' strong start in 2026 should not be overlooked, as Jordan Walker's emergence as a superstar and JJ Wetherholt's breakout as a Rookie of the Year favorite are great steps in the right direction to the overall goal, but the relentlessness of both Bloom and Marmol to continue building up the young core of the Cardinals should be inspiring to fans. It's clear that Marmol, who should be an early Manager of the Year candidate, has won over the confidence of much of the initially skeptical fanbase. After being punched in the mouth with a sweep in Milwaukee, it'll be interesting to see if the Cardinals can bounce back against their most bitter rivals.

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