The St. Louis Cardinals bought excellent news on Wednesday when it was introduced that future Corridor of Fame catcher Yadier Molina could be returning to the group as a particular assistant to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.
Molina performed his total 19-year profession with St. Louis from 2004-22, profitable two World Sequence, 9 Gold Gloves, 4 Platinum Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. He was additionally a 10-time All-Star.
“We’re pleased to welcome Yadi again to the Cardinals group,” Bloom said. “He’s an elite competitor, a constant winner, and one of many best ever at his place, and we look ahead to many contributions throughout his visits with us on this new function, each out and in of uniform.”
Molina’s duties will embody some teaching with the most important league employees. He’ll additionally work with the Cardinals catchers all through the group as they proceed to prioritize participant growth.
Breaking down Yadier Molina’s Cardinals return
That is definitely excellent news for the Cardinals. They’ve all the time been a company rooted in profitable traditions, and Molina was an enormous a part of that all through his legendary profession.
The 43-year-old returned twice as a visitor coach in 2025, however it seems that he might be again extra steadily in 2026, which supplies the group a serious enhance, particularly within the midst of a rebuild.
Molina had greater than his fair proportion of legendary moments in a Cardinals uniform, with the largest one being his clutch dwelling run in Recreation 7 of the 2006 NLCS. He additionally had a knack for throwing out potential base stealers.
His experience as a catcher and a veteran chief within the clubhouse will serve the Cardinals nicely. Having a legend round ought to enhance the morale of the membership, but additionally permit the youthful gamers, particularly the catchers, to develop the correct manner.
Molina may also be of use to the younger pitchers on the employees, who can study quite a bit from one of many sport’s all-time greats, particularly on the subject of coping with stress and having a great sport plan with the catchers on the crew.
It is likely to be a troublesome 12 months for the Cardinals in 2026 now that some key veterans are gone, however having Molina again is a internet constructive for a crew attempting to rebuild and return to the place they as soon as had been a number of years in the past.
Molina was an enormous a part of that, and his data and expertise are going to assist the Cardinals out tremendously this 12 months.
