Cardinals' Oli Marmol Offers Glimmer of Hope As Postseason Dreams End

Oli Marmol is optimistic about the future.

Sep 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) looks on during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals will not be going to the postseason in 2026. They started off the season strong, but came back down to earth in the second half and are down to just eight games remaining on their schedule.

After their series with the Washington Nationals, they'll end the season with a road trip to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers. At the very least, the future is bright for the rebuilding Cardinals, and it may not be too much longer before postseason baseball returns to Busch Stadium

Before the game, manager Oli Marmol offered a glimmer of hope for fans.

Just before his team went out on the field and locked up their longest playoff drought under the current ownership, Oli Marmol insisted, "it's a really good time to be a Cardinals fan." Then the big league manager started talking about the Double-A team, and he may be right:

— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) September 19, 2026

Oli Marmol stays optimistic about future

Sep 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) calls to the dugout in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cardinals do have a bright future ahead of them. Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt both had big years for the Cardinals in 2026, and Alec Burleson continued to blossom as a hitter. They also have Ivan Herrera, Leo Bernal, Joshua Baez, Riley O'Brien, Blaze Jordan, Thomas Saggese, Michael McGreevy, Kyle Leahy and other exciting players.

Their pitching depth looks stronger than it has in years. They have Richard Fitts coming back from an injury next season and plenty of other young starters who are major league ready. Jurrangelo Cijintje and Liam Doyle should be making progress soon and finding a way to become part of the Cardinals' future plans.

The farm system has taken a lot of steps forward in such a short amount of time thanks to the moves Chaim Bloom has made dating back to last offseason. At the end of John Mozeliak's tenure, the farm system needed work, but Bloom got straight to work to make sure they took the necessary steps forward.

The Cardinals are also up to speed in terms of technology, facilities and coaches at the minor league levels. That was an area that they were severly lacking in before the 2025 season, but the work they've done behind the scenes has gotten the Cardinals back to where they need to be in terms of having a strong farm system and up-to-date technology and facilitiess.

Much of that hope, as Jeff Jones mentions, is coming from the Double-A team. These are players that are close to taking the next step and strengthening a burgeoning future for the Cardinals organization.

So, while the Cardinals won't be in the playoffs, they are still trending upwards, and they still even have things left to play for in 2026. Finishing with a winning record, while unlikely, isn't impossible, and for the final weekend of the season, they can play spoiler on the Brewers and their quest to clinch the best record in the National League.