A familiar face, and number, is in the St. Louis Cardinals dugout this weekend at Busch Stadium.
Former franchise stalwart and dependable backstop Yadier Molina — a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champ during his 19-year playing career with the Cardinals — is serving as a temporary bench coach this weekend as St. Louis hosts the rival Chicago Cubs.
Advertisement
He did so Friday night during a 5-0, series-opening win, and he’ll be back out there again Saturday night.
In December 2023, Molina joined the organization as special assistant to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. That said, due to family reasons, Molina was unable to follow through in that role like he expected, MLB.com reported, citing the ball club.
This weekend marks Molina’s first trip to the stadium he called home from 2004-22 since longtime Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainright had his retirement ceremony at the end of the 2023 season.
Molina, who reportedly was going to be in town for personal business anyway, reached out to the Cardinals about helping out, and the organization made it happen.
Advertisement
Oliver Marmol, who managed Molina in his final Cardinals season, invited the former catcher to join him in the dugout, and Molina gladly accepted the offer.
“The idea is to come here and help the catchers, give them advice and make them better,” Molina said Friday, per MLB.com. “I just want to be here to help. I’m not coming here to try and make things different. I just want to help the young guys however I can, and I just want to enjoy the game.
“I don’t miss playing; I miss being at the field. But just being here, and being back in St. Louis, that means a lot to me. In this town, they care about me and care about my family. It’s going to be a big night for me, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Molina, now 43, has more than dabbled in coaching since the iconic catcher retired at 41 years old in 2022. He notably managed Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He’s returning to that role for the 2026 WBC.
Advertisement
But he said he’ll wait at least another year after that before taking a full-time MLB coaching position.
“That’s the plan,” Molina said, per The Associated Press. “[My son’s] a [high school] senior right now. After he finishes school, that’s probably when I start coaching in the major leagues.”
While Molina will be with the Cardinals for only 48 hours this weekend, he’s interested in contributing at other points of the season, according to MLB.com, possibly as early as two weeks from now during St. Louis’ road trip to Florida.
The Cardinals have yet to make the playoffs since Molina retired. St. Louis is currently one game above .500 and 4.5 games back from an NL wild-card spot.
Advertisement
Molina’s presence Friday night coincided with a win. Perhaps his return to the Cardinals’ dugout can spark a postseason push.
