Ex-Cardinals Fan Favorite Reportedly 'On The Reds Radar' To Supplant Fired Manager

Will the former St. Louis slugger be a divisional foe next year?

Apr. 19, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (right) talks with second baseman Skip Schumaker against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. The Cardinals defeated the Diamondbacks 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have frustrated their fanbase after the last two seasons of mediocrity and this offseason will have many hoping for leadership change.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has recently been criticized for leading St. Louis through back-to-back seasons of missing the playoffs and being on the verge of finishing with a losing record for a second year straight -- something the franchise hasn't done since the 1950s.

It might be time for the Cardinals to move on from Marmol and seek a new manager this winter. However, a former St. Louis fan favorite might no longer be an option with a National League Central rival looking to hire him.

"Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker is on the (Cincinnati) Reds’ radar for a potential replacement for David Bell, who’s fired Sunday night," USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Sunday following Bell's termination.

Schumaker has been linked to the Cardinals as Marmol's replacement numerous times throughout the season as St. Louis struggled to stay in the playoff race.

The 44-year-old spent eight out of eleven seasons playing in the majors with the Cardinals, where he was a member of the miraculous 2011 World Series championship roster.

Since retiring from the game as a player in 2015 with the Reds, Schumaker won NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins in 2023. Despite having success with Miami last season, the former St. Louis second baseman found a way to be released from his contract for 2025 and will become a free agent this winter.

Now that the Reds appear to be the frontrunner to acquire Schumaker as their next manager, will the Cardinals boldly move to fire Marmol and jump in the fight to land a new skipper?

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