The St. Louis Cardinals, after trading away Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, are poised to enter a rebuild. For Oli Marmol, despite the tough decision to begin a rebuild, he’s optimistic things will work out.
John Denton of MLB.com shared Marmol’s optimism amid the team beginning a rebuild. Despite a rebuild being “zero fun” according to Denton, Marmol sees the light at the end of the tunnel.
“We knew we were going to have to make some tough decisions to set this thing up for the future,” Marmol said. “We’re building toward that, and we’re making tough decisions that will allow us (to win again) quicker.”
Those tough decisions included dealing away their longest tenured player in Helsley. The return from the New York Mets included infielder Jesus Baez (Mets’ 8th-ranked prospect), right-handed pitcher Nate Dohm (14th-ranked prospect), and right-handed pitcher Frank Elissalt.
Those three prospects could help the team compete again in the future. Blaze Jordan, a Mississippi native, could also make MLB contributions soon. Moving their three relievers was the right decision, even if it was a tough one to make.
Signifying to the team that 2025 isn’t the year is a tough blow for the clubhouse. But, with the team looking to retool and rebuild for the future, those moves need to be made.
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For Marmol, despite the grueling nature of a rebuild and the negative feelings that come from trading away talented players like Helsley, he’s accepting of a rebuild. A successful rebuild will have a bright future for the team, and Marmol knows it.
“But what makes it fathomable is incremental progress and the promise that brighter days are ahead.” Denton writes, “Manager Oliver Marmol said as much, noting that it helped him swallow the bitterness of Helsley leaving to know that the personnel return should help the Cardinals be better in the future.”
The final two months of the season for St. Louis won’t be easy. With a depleted bullpen and the placement of Nolan Arenado on the injured list, the outlook is a lot different from what it seemed earlier in the year.
Whether it’s the emergence of JJ Wetherholt in the Majors or the prospects landed in return for their relievers, there’s reason to be optimistic despite entering the beginning stages of a rebuild. Marmol knows it, and he’s viewing the start of this rebuild in St. Louis as positively as he can, despite how tough the next year and a half will be.
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