ST. LOUIS -- With the Cardinals hunting a sweep of the Braves in the final game before the All-Star break on Sunday at Busch Stadium, manager Marmol wasn’t afraid to empty the bench in pursuit of a matchup advantage.
Trailing 3-1 in the sixth inning, the offense needed a spark.
The Cardinals came into Sunday averaging a modest 3.28 runs per game for the homestand. They ultimately couldn’t get over the hump in increasing those numbers, falling to the Braves, 4-3.
But with the game in the balance, Marmol didn’t hesitate in deploying pinch-hitter Blaze Jordan to gain an edge over lefty reliever Dylan Dodd.
When Braves skipper Walt Weiss countered with righty Didier Fuentes, Marmol didn’t blink in swapping out Jordan, burning him for lefty contact hitter Bryan Torres. Despite the upper hand on paper, Torres struck out to leave the entire process feeling fruitless.
Without another lefty to throw at the bases-loaded, two-out situation, Marmol was out of tricks. Righty José Fermín stepped into a difficult matchup. Naturally, the utility man who entered Sunday hitting .222 against right-handed pitching stroked a two-run single to tie the game, 3-3.
It was the latest example of the resolve the Cardinals have consistently shown in 2026.
“I love the word relentless,” Fermín said. “Oli likes that word. That was one word that we talked about during Spring Training and I think that’s always on our minds, every game. I think that’s a good example of who we are.”
Sometimes, a neat, tidy story develops as a result of that relentless nature. Other times, baseball happens. That’s how it played out Sunday.
Marmol was ejected in the top of the ninth after disputing a hit-by-pitch call. Replay review stuck with the ruling on the field that JoJo Romero sinker clipped Michael Harris II on the forearm. Marmol’s displeasure stemmed from Harris’ apparent influence over that original call in removing his equipment before home plate umpire Adam Beck had issued it.
That sequence didn’t directly cost the Cardinals, but what followed was an example of baseball happening to them. On a Mauricio Dubón grounder, Gold Glove shortstop Masyn Winn uncharacteristically sailed the throw above Alec Burleson’s head at first base to produce Atlanta’s fourth run.
Despite Sunday’s result and against the tenor of outside expectations coming into the season, the Cardinals have arrived at the All-Star break firmly in the hunt, a game back of the Marlins for the NL’s third Wild Card spot.
In fact, the Cardinals’ 50-45 record is identical to what it was they stood a year ago after the same number of games.
“It is a different group,” Marmol said, looking to offer perspective on how a team can change in ways the standings alone may not reflect. “The way I look at it is, the ceiling is higher when it comes to what’s possible for this group.”
“So, although the record’s the same, you’re just getting started as to what’s possible for them. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, a lot of work to be done. The best part about all of it is that they’re bought into it and they’re hungry for that.”
In Chaim Bloom’s first year as president of baseball operations, it would be inaccurate to suggest that the Cardinals aren’t showing clear signs of heading in the right direction -- especially building off a fledgling foundation that’s on the rise.
But with the Trade Deadline on the horizon, what happens immediately following the break won’t force a definitive shift in direction. A hot streak won’t alter the front office’s measured approach.
There’s a sense that, regardless of short-term fluctuations to the standings, Cardinals brass can’t get caught up in the hype to start chasing, as Bloom phrased it late last month, “cheap thrills.”
That’s because the notion of ambition within the organization is strong. Too strong to lose sight of the big picture.
In discussing the moving parts of the club’s complicated pitching plan with reporters during the five-game series against Milwaukee earlier this week, Marmol expressed his contentment in understanding the way the various machinations served the ultimate goal of the process -- one the Cardinals believe, within the grand scheme of what is being built in St. Louis, will get them to where they want to go.
“There’s a difference between showing up and kind of taking your shot, and showing up and knowing you’re going to beat [somebody],” Marmol said. “It’s just, they’re just completely different feelings.”
What does that difference look like?
“You’ll see it,” Marmol said. "You’ll know it when you see it.”