Oli Marmol hasn't fully bought into one of Chaim Bloom's offseason Cardinals goals

When Chaim Bloom took the reins for the St. Louis Cardinals, his objective was clear: Tear the club down to the studs and slowly build it back up. For Cardinals manager Oli Marmol, the goal this year, as it is every year, is decidedly different: Win as many games as possible with the roster he's been given.

Marmol isn't blind; he knows that the Cardinals are unlikely to win many games in 2026, and in an interview on 101 ESPN, he said he appreciates Bloom's committed direction for the franchise. However, one of Bloom's talking points and goals throughout the offseason doesn't appear to carry the same weight for Marmol.

Marmol doesn't believe the Cardinals need a veteran right-handed bat for leadership purposes.

Bloom has spoken about adding a right-handed hitting veteran outfielder through free agency or a trade to balance out the Cardinals' left-handed-heavy lineup and "help young players find their way." While Marmol said in the interview that he's not opposed to a signing or trade if it shakes out that way, he doesn't believe that such a player is necessary in regards to one of the questions surrounding the 2026 Cardinals, which is clubhouse leadership.

Cardinals writers have floated out several potential fits for the team, including former Cardinals Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham and Pittsburgh Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen. One article promoted McCutchen's leadership as a selling point for the Cardinals to try and snag him, but even without veterans such as Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray, Marmol said in the interview that he is satisfied with the chemistry that is brewing in the Cardinals clubhouse already.

"I think [leadership] is going to be a collective effort with these guys in their own ways within their own personalities, not trying to be someone they're not, and hold each other accountable and compete in the way they're used to in St. Louis. I think it'll happen organically, but we're intentional in pushing them in that direction. That's one thing I'm excited about, and it's already taking shape."

Oli Marmol

A player whom Marmol mentioned as a budding leader is Masyn Winn. Winn will be entering his third full season with the Cardinals, and although Winn will be just 24 when the season begins, Marmol praised his level of maturity and future as an influence within the clubhouse.

"Winn is starting to see things outside of himself and seeing opportunities to have conversations in the clubhouse. You can see his awareness and his opportunities to lead, which is really encouraging."

Oli Marmol

With options for a right-handed bat thinning seemingly by the day, the Cardinals may decide to forgo an acquisition and roll with their current roster for 2026. That wouldn't bother the Cardinals manager, as although the Cardinals are now an incredibly young team, Marmol seems confident that the club is meshing well and that leadership and accountability among players will follow.