Cardinals sign manager Marmol to 2-year extension

The St. Louis Cardinals announced Friday they signed manager Oliver Marmol to a two-year contract extension.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Marmol's original contract was set to expire after this season.

The 37-year-old was hired to succeed Mike Shildt after the latter's firing following the 2021 campaign. While Marmol guided the Cardinals to a division title in his first year at the helm, his club took a major step back in 2023, losing 90 games for the first time since 1990. It was just the fourth losing season for the franchise in the wild-card era (since 1994).

Marmol's job never seemed to be in jeopardy despite last year's struggles. He's received recent public support from both the front office and ownership, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"The most important thing for Oli, the coaches, or players is to know that we stand behind them," president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Friday, per The Associated Press. "We believe in that, and to go into the season - what's the phrase: the lame duck manager? - just seemed to be like the wrong strategy."

Marmol owns a .506 winning percentage in his two seasons managing the Cardinals along with an 0-2 record in the playoffs. Before being promoted to manager, he spent five seasons on the team's coaching staff under Shildt and Mike Matheny.