The St. Louis Cardinals enter the final game of their four-game series against the San Diego Padres with a 66-67 record. If the Cardinals finish the season with another losing record, it will be the first time since 1994-1995 that the team will have consecutive seasons under .500. While the team is still fighting, the fans have given up on the year. Oliver Marmol, who appears to be running out of answers, may be fighting for his job.
According to Brandon Scott of Bleacher Report, Oliver Marmol was listed as the number-one candidate to be fired after the 2024 season. In his article, Scott mentions the Cardinals' poor record and negative run differential this month as reasons to sack Marmol.
Scott quotes Jon Heyman of the New York Daily News, who listed Marmol's manager season only having "a bit of heat". Should Marmol be fired, Heyman lists two former Cardinals as potential managers.
"“It’s an average team playing average baseball, an improvement. Are front office changes also possible? Two great potential manager replacements: Cardinals legend Yadier Molina and Schumaker.” "Jon Heyman, New York Daily News
Schumaker is an interesting candidate if the manager position becomes available. Not only does he have the ties to the Cardinals, but he has prior MLB manager experience, which is a trait Marmol, Mike Shildt, and Mike Matheny did not have when they were hired.
But will John Mozeliak actually make the decision to relieve Marmol of his duties? If Mozeliak does, it will be the third manager fired under his tenure. It will also make the contract extension Marmol signed before the season look worse than it already does.
The St. Louis Cardinals have to answer this question this offseason. Will John Mozeliak will return as the President of Baseball Operations in 2025? If he is the POBO, Marmol is unlikely to be fired. Now if Chaim Bloom, who is considered the heir apparent, takes over, he may want to make a change.