Jordan Walker homers in third straight game

The seesaw game saw the Cardinals go up 4-0 in the third, the Reds come back to take a 5-4 lead in the sixth, the Cardinals score six runs after an error in the top of the ninth and the Reds fall just short of another comeback while scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth. There were a total of 14 walks and three HBPs on the day, and both teams had more runs scored than hits (10 to 8 for the Cards, 9 to 7 for the Reds). Walker’s homer, the Cardinals’ lone extra-base hit, was his 26th of the year. He went without one for 19 games after the Home Run Derby, but he’s rebounded with four in his last 13 games.

Walker notched his ninth three-hit performance of the season, while also picking up his 17th stolen base of the season in the process. The 24-year-old former top prospect has put it all together after struggling for a couple seasons at the outset of his big-league career. He’s blasted 24 homers and is three steals shy of joining the exlusive 20-homer, 20-steal club. That’ll work.

Even with Joshua Báez crashing back to earth with a hitless, three-strikeout day, the Cardinals were still able to pound the Cubs’ pitching again. Walker was responsible for four of those 11 runs, with two of them coming on a homer off Ryan Rolison in the fourth inning. The 24-year-old has now gone deep 24 times in his breakout campaign, and he had two more hits to improve his average to .284. Walker has slowed after his red-hot start, but the overall production is beyond encouraging.

Walker had missed each of the team’s previous two games due to inflammation in his right knee. He’s feeling much better after a couple of days off though and is right back in there in right field and batting second against Rockies’ right-hander Ryan Feltner on Friday evening in St. Louis.

The Cardinals are presumably handling Walker’s situation with an abundance of caution since they have an off-day prior to Friday’s series opener against the Rockies. The 24-year-old rising fantasy star will receive some extra time off to rest and recover as he deals with right knee inflammation. It’s challenging to dismiss the possibility of an injured list stint, but it sounds like Walker will be ready to return later this week.

Walker has hit a bit of a rough patch at the plate since his iconic performance during the All-Star Home Run Derby last month, hitting .240 (18-for-75) with zero homers in 18 games since the Midsummer Classic. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. There should be additional clarity on his status following the contest. It’ll be Nelson Velázquez taking over in right field at Yankee Stadium in his place.

Walker singled twice, and his last one was his biggest, driving in two runs in the ninth inning to give the Cardinals a four-run cushion. The 24-year-old now has 81 RBI on the season to go along with a .283/.343/.492 slash line. He hasn’t homered since July 9, but he continues to produce for the Cardinals.

On a night where the Cardinals managed only five hits, it was Walker’s single in the fifth inning to drive home Nathan Church that produced their only run of the game. Walker has hit safely in three straight games, but has struggled at the dish as of late. The 2026 Home Run Derby champ is slashing just .200/.262/.267 over his last 15 games and hasn’t homered since the All-Star break.

Walker entered the event as one of the field’s biggest underdogs, but looked cool, calm and collected from the outset, launching 19 home runs on just 27 swings, including 13 in the first round, to cruise into the finals. He then eliminated one of the favorites, Junior Caminero, to earn a showdown with Kyle Schwarber in an electric final round. The 24-year-old burgeoning star went deep on each of his final six swings to become the first Cardinals hitter in franchise history to win the Home Run Derby. It was an unbelievable performance.

Walker turned a five-run deficit into a two-run deficit with his 406-foot (106.5-mph EV) three-run blast off of Chad Patrick in the sixth inning. That would be as close as they would get though. It was also Walker’s only hit in four at-bats in the contest. The All-Star slugger is enjoying an unbelievable first half, slashing .294/.354/.539 with 22 homers, 73 RBI and 12 stolen bases.