St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol agreed Friday to a two-year contract extension through the 2026 season.
The 37-year-old former Cardinals minor leaguer led the team to an NL Central title in his first season, winning 93 games in 2022 and becoming the youngest manager to reach the playoffs since a 31-year-old Lou Boudreau took Cleveland to the World Series in 1946. St. Louis went 71-91 last year and finished last in the division.
“Over the past two seasons, we have experienced a lot of different emotions, both up and down,” Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said. “And through it all, Oli has helped navigate us through these challenging times.”
Marmol joined the Cardinals organization in 2007 as a utilityman and coached in the minors for five seasons before joining the major league coaching staff in 2017. He was fourth in the voting for NL Manager of the Year in 2022, when St. Louis won its first division title since 2019.
His contract had been scheduled to expire after this season.
FELIPE SURGERY
Oakland right-hander Ángel Felipe will miss the season after Tommy John surgery Friday with Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. Felipe pitched in 14 games for the Athletics last season, going 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA.
WELCOME BACK
Right-hander Jake Odorizzi agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. Odorizzi, who didn’t pitch last season following shoulder surgery, could earn a rotation spot with Taj Bradley expected to miss the season’s start because of a strained pectoral muscle.
The 33-year-old Odorizzi spent five seasons with the Rays (2013-17), going 40-37 with a 3.82 ERA. He was an All-Star with the Minnesota Twins in 2019, when he won a career-best 15 games.
JANSEN SIDELINED
Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen is expected to miss the season’s start after fracturing a bone in his right wrist when he was hit by a 93 mph fastball.
Toronto manager John Schneider said Friday that Jansen will likely miss the March 28 opener at Tampa Bay. Alejandro Kirk figures to step in at catcher until Jansen’s return.
Jansen was hit by a pitch Wednesday from Pittsburgh’s Carmen Mlodzinski in the eighth inning of a spring training game.
The 28-year-old Jansen is coming off an injury-plagued 2023 season where he hit .228 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 86 games. He was out for nearly a month early in the year with a strained left groin. His season came to an end on Sept. 1 after breaking his right middle finger on a foul ball during a game against Colorado.
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AP sports writer Fred Goodall and AP freelance writer Chris Nelsen contributed to this report.
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