Yadier Molina is back in the building - and back in the only MLB uniform he's ever known.
Three seasons after calling it a career, the St. Louis Cardinals are bringing the future Hall of Famer into the fold as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. It’s a move that reunites the franchise with one of its most iconic figures - a catcher who didn’t just wear the Birds on the Bat, he embodied everything the Cardinals stand for: toughness, leadership, and a relentless drive to win.
For 19 seasons, Molina was the backbone of the Cardinals - a defensive maestro behind the plate, a steady hand in the batter’s box, and a fierce competitor in the biggest moments. He played more games against the Brewers and Cubs than any other teams, and he made those matchups count.
Milwaukee, in particular, saw plenty of Molina’s power - he hit 27 homers against the Brewers, second-most of any opponent. Only the Reds got it worse, giving up 28.
Now, Molina’s returning to the NL Central - not in uniform, but with a voice that still carries weight in any clubhouse. Since retiring in 2022, he’s been busy carving out a new path in the dugout.
He’s already built a strong résumé as a manager in both Puerto Rico and Venezuela. He led Puerto Rico’s Criollos de Caguas to back-to-back Roberto Clemente League championships in 2023 and 2024 and took them to the Caribbean Series.
In Venezuela, he earned Manager of the Year honors after guiding Navegantes del Magallanes to the playoffs.
That kind of leadership doesn’t just disappear - and now the Cardinals are tapping into it.
In announcing the hire, Bloom highlighted Molina’s rare mix of on-field excellence and off-field influence, saying Molina will provide insight on catching development, game planning, and player preparation. But more than anything, the Cardinals want what made Molina special to rub off on the next generation: his high standards, his attention to detail, and his championship mindset.
And make no mistake - Molina knows what it takes to win.
He was a two-time World Series champion (2006, 2011), a 10-time All-Star, and a nine-time Gold Glove winner. In 2013, he added a Silver Slugger to his trophy case, hitting .319 with 80 RBIs and 44 doubles - all career highs. From 2012 to 2013, he posted a combined 13.4 WAR, his most productive stretch at the plate.
But it was always the defense that set him apart. Molina was a master at controlling the running game and calling pitches.
His career caught stealing rate? A ridiculous 40.3%.
He led the league in the category four times and only dipped below 40% once in his entire career - that was in 2016, and even then, he was still close to league average. In his second season, he threw out 64.1% of base stealers - a number that almost defies belief in today’s game.
At the plate, he finished with 176 home runs, 1,022 RBIs, and over 2,000 hits, slashing .277/.327/.399. Against the Brewers - a team he faced nearly a thousand times - he posted a .261/.323/.405 line. And defensively, he stands alone atop the leaderboard with 15,122 career putouts - the most by any catcher in MLB history.
Now, as he steps into a new role, Molina isn’t just bringing back his resume - he’s bringing back the edge, the presence, and the championship DNA that defined an era of Cardinals baseball. For St.
Louis, it’s more than a reunion. It’s a reset - one that could help shape the next chapter of a storied franchise.