St. Louis Cardinals extend manager Oliver Marmol's contract through 2028, including a team option for 2029.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol's position is now secure. Just hours before a spring training exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team officially announced a contract extension with him. The new deal covers the 2027 and 2028 seasons and includes a team option for 2029.

The 39-year-old Marmol has been the Cardinals' manager since 2022, with a record of 325 wins and 323 losses. He led the team to the playoffs once, in his first season, when the Cardinals won the National League Central division title.

Following a 78-84 season in 2025, the Cardinals entered a rebuilding phase by trading veterans such as Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, and Brendan Donovan during the offseason, acquiring a group of prospects in return. Some of these prospects, like right-handed pitchers Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins obtained from the Red Sox, are expected to be on the Opening Day roster on March 26 at Busch Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Marmol has been part of the Cardinals organization for 20 years. He entered the minor leagues as a player in 2007, reaching as high as High-A Palm Beach. From 2012 to 2016, he coached in the minors for five years, leading his teams to the playoffs in four of those seasons. In 2017, he served as the first base coach under manager Mike Matheny, and in 2019, he was appointed bench coach for Mike Shildt.

"We have Oli, who came up through our system. He understands what it means to be a Cardinal," said principal owner and board chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. "He helped develop good players within the system and became a major league manager. He has done a great job all along. I watch every game... and I can be quite critical, but with Oli, I don't have to worry about that. He manages games very steadily and has the support of the players. He possesses all the qualities a manager should have."

Chaim Bloom, the team's president of baseball operations, stated that Marmol is committed to making everyone around him better and is willing to continually evolve.

"Marmol understands what makes this organization unique," Bloom said. "He is a Cardinal through and through. He also knows that part of what makes this team great is the relentless competition, always looking ahead, and setting new standards. His passion for excellence is contagious, and it's a joy to work with him every day."

Players and coaching staff attended Marmol's press conference. Marmol made it clear that he is excited to lead this young team, headlined by Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson.

"Look at the roster when I first started managing; it was a veteran-heavy team," Marmol admitted. "But I can say I'm more excited for this upcoming year than any other year I've been in this organization. A big reason is the guys in this clubhouse. You can really build with them. That's what gets me going every morning."