MLB Manager hot seat predictions will have Cubs fans laughing at the Cardinals

While the Chicago Cubs were spiraling toward the bottom of the National League Central division during the months of May and June, there was a fear that the Cubs missed a prime opportunity to take advantage of a time when the St. Louis Cardinals were at their worst.

The Cardinals finished the 2023 season under .500 and despite speculation regarding his future with the organization, manager Oliver Marmol received a two-year contract extension prior to the start of the 2024 season. After a slow start to the season, the Cardinals appeared to be finding their footing while the Cubs were free falling.

Even at the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, there was a lot to like about how the Cardinals got one of the best starting pitchers in the American League this season, Erick Fedde, while only having to give up a player in Tommy Edman who hasn't played the entire season.

But as the Cubs have climbed back into the postseason conversation, the Cardinals appear to be falling back. The Cardinals are now behind the Cubs in the National League Wild Card conversation while having the fourth-worst run differential in the National League.

Cubs fans can enjoy more manager uncertainty for the Cardinals.

There appears to be a probability of the Cardinals finishing under .500 for a second-consecutive season, which not only begs to question why St. Louis felt compelled to extend Marmol prior to the season but just how secure his job is. In their latest rankings of managers on the hot seat in the closing weeks of the season, Marmol was at the top of the list for Bleacher Report.

For everything that the Cardinals have done right as a baseball organization, Marmol isn't one of them. Sure, the Cardinals have seen regression from Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado this season but Marmol's handling of players has questioned if he is on the same page with the team's front office. Whether the handling of Willson Contreras last season or the development or lack thereof, of Jordan Walker, the Cardinals should have some questions about whether Marmol is the right manager for the job. As long as Marmol is the manager of the Cardinals, that will be a great sign for the Cubs.