Cardinals extend manager Oliver Marmol through 2028, with a club option for 2029

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JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol signed a two-year contract extension through at least the 2028 season, the Cardinals announced Sunday.

The deal includes a club option for 2029, the club said.

“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time, and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” Cardinals president Chaim Bloom said in a statement. “He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow."

The 39-year-old Marmol has led the Cardinals for the past four seasons, taking them to the National League wild-card round in his first season as manager. But he has failed to return to the playoffs the last three years, and St. Louis was just 78-84 last season.

Yet the Cardinals have long considered the past couple of seasons as an opportunity to reset with Bloom taking over for longtime executive John Mozeliak and a roster in need of a refresh. So it makes sense to provide some stability with Marmol, the third-longest tenured manager in the NL behind the Dodgers' Dave Roberts and the Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo.

Marmol has been with the Cardinals since 2007, when he was still in his playing days. He spent five seasons as a manager in the minors before joining the coaching staff in 2017, and he was elevated to the St. Louis manager on October 25, 2021.

Marmol is 324-323 in four seasons with the Cardinals.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb