For the two ballgames, 果酱视频ans were draped in nostalgia, while he wore a Cardinals uniform in the dugout with his old number.
They also put his last name on there, though that was unnecessary.
Yadier Molina.
There he was, in the flesh 鈥 Yadi! 鈥 standing alongside Cards manager Oliver Marmol at Busch Stadium on Friday and Saturday. As you likely know by now, Molina returned to town for the weekend, so Marmol invited the great catcher to be around the ballclub.
And, man, Yadi sure stirs us.
Few humans have this much influence on the minds of the Cardinals players and the hearts of the Cardinals fans.

Cardinals guest coach Yadier Molina talks with players and coaches in the dugout before a game against the Cubs at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Like, if Scott Rolen 鈥 whose face is forever chiseled on a Cooperstown plaque 鈥 joined the Cards in the dugout, it would certainly be neat, but it wouldn鈥檛 be like this. Because even the mere mention of Yadi in this town, let alone a sighting, makes fans simultaneously think 2006 and 2026.
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Indeed, many want him to be manager. The perfect fit, they say. As I鈥檝e written before, I believe Marmol is the perfect fit. He鈥檚 incredibly smart, yet communicates casually and effectively. He鈥檚 been bred in Cardinal red. He masterfully uses his relievers (third-best bullpen ERA in the National League). And he overachieves the Cardinals鈥 Pythagorean winning percentage on Baseball Reference.
But some fans see the current overall record and blame Marmol during this transition season, instead of, you know, the starting pitching of Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde, the offensive demise of Nolan Arenado and the stretches of offensive slog from the likes of Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman (not to mention the fact that 果酱视频, switching over to new leadership, only signed one free agent 鈥 Phil Maton 鈥 and then sold at the trade deadline amid this restructuring and rebuild).
But it鈥檚 fun for fans to dream of Yadi. It鈥檚 easy to dream of Yadi. It鈥檚 like 鈥 they say the grass is always greener, and you鈥檙e telling us that a franchise legend with two rings and four World Series is crouching behind home plate on said grass?
But this weekend, really, was just about this weekend. About maximizing Molina. In the dog days of August, here comes this human rejuvenation. This cool and confident legend who played so valiantly, so fiery, so unabashedly, current players don鈥檛 want to let him down. Because few retired athletes 鈥 even great ones 鈥 have Molina鈥檚 unique mix of personality and presence, which can almost be like an invigorating jolt that resuscitates some unclaimed WAR inside a player.

Cardinals guest coach Yadier Molina acknowledges the crowd as he takes out the lineup card before a game against the Cubs on Friday.
鈥淥h yeah, he was on me all game, it was great,鈥 Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages said after Friday鈥檚 5-0 win against the Cubs. 鈥淚t was a great thing, honestly. I would look in (the dugout) to look at the signs for the running game, and he鈥檚 there, like, giving me different cues, different things we talked about.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always good to see him 鈥 he鈥檚 always on me about different stuff, just trying to help out. It鈥檚 a good thing, man. He knows a lot. He鈥檚 probably the best ever to do it, in my opinion. I was just learning from him 鈥 he was in the video room, and we went over some stuff that he had for me. 鈥
鈥淗e鈥檚 reached out over the years, and especially this year, he鈥檚 reached out a little more. It鈥檚 usually when I do something not right, because he wants to get on me 鈥 but it鈥檚 a good thing. He told me, 鈥業鈥檓 going to get on you when you don鈥檛 do things right, and when you do things right, you鈥檙e not going to hear from me.鈥 And that鈥檚 the way it is. Like, he expects us to go out there, compete and do everything right and just learn.鈥
The Cards鈥 other catcher, Yohel Pozo, said getting to work with Molina, his favorite player growing up, 鈥渋s something that every catcher dreams for.鈥
And listen to Alec Burleson鈥檚 words.
He played 16 games as a rookie in 2022, Molina鈥檚 last season (Yadi started in 2004 and finished with 2,168 hits and 10 Gold Gloves). Now in 2025, Burleson is (to use a Tony La Russa phrase) 鈥渢ied for first鈥 with Willson Contreras as the Cardinals鈥 best hitter.
Of Yadi, Burly said: 鈥淚 know I was his teammate for a short amount of time, but I don鈥檛 really look at him as a teammate 鈥 I look at him as a legend, as a Hall of Famer. But yeah, he was fun to be around (on Friday). Just his presence alone is something that, I think, benefited us.鈥
And Marmol鈥檚 perspective was sharp, as it always is. First of all, the manager didn鈥檛 seem to care that some fans thought Marmol brought his own replacement into the dugout this weekend. Marmol said thinking that way would be 鈥減retty damn selfish and insecure. If he鈥檚 going to make (the team) better, you have him around.鈥
And then Marmol pointed out a distinction in Yadi compared to other triumphant players.
Molina is not only a good player, but also a winning player.
Sure, of course, there were some years that a Molina-led team didn鈥檛 make the playoffs (and personally, I鈥檒l always remember that Molina left the Cards for two games during his final season to watch the pro basketball team he owned in Puerto Rico). But Molina was, to be sure, a winning player. So many Octobers.
鈥淗e鈥檚 having more one-on-one conversations (here),鈥 Marmol said, 鈥渨hich is what he鈥檚 good at, and he just has a really unique way of communicating what it takes to be a winning player, not just a good player. There鈥檚 a difference between a good player and a winning player, and it鈥檚 great when you鈥檙e good winning player. But I鈥檒l take the winning player all day long, and he has a unique way of expressing what it takes to really devote yourself to the game.
鈥淎nd what it takes to be that good, in a way that I think could be pretty influential and impactful to some of our young guys.鈥
Regardless of the final scores on Friday and Saturday, the Cardinals got a little extra better with 果酱视频鈥 Mr. October in the dugout during August.
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