Jordan

Walker

Walker provided the early offense for St. Louis in their loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday, taking Jose Berrios deep for a solo homer in the third inning. It was just his third home run of the season, with all three coming in September. The 22-year-old outfielder is slashing .179/.242/.321 with the three homers and 11 RBI across 124 plate appearances.

Walker made it a 9-4 game with his two-run single. The 22-year-old has swung the bat better as of late, but his awful run to begin the year still has him with an OPS of .544 in 2024.

Walker clobbered an offering from Troy Taylor into the left-field stands to get the Cardinals on the board. It’s just the second homer of the season for the 22-year-old, although that number is obviously affected by him spending so much time in the minors. It’s a nice reminder that Walker oozes talent, and there’s still time for him to tap into his star potential.

Walker’s home run was his first of the year. He hit a two-run shot off Scott Effross in the fifth inning. Walker is going to get the chance to play everyday for the rest of the season. He’ll certainly be on the fantasy radar for next year with more performances like the one we saw on Sunday. Walker is worth an add in mixed leagues if you’re trying to catch lightning in a bottle.

With their playoff hopes dwindling, the Cardinals appear poised to give Walker an everyday opportunity, regardless of opposing pitcher, at the highest level over the final month of the regular season. The 22-year-old corner outfielder was one of the most promising prospects in baseball less than two years ago, so we’re not doubting the talent. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t produced enough in the majors to warrant consideration for a fantasy roster spot outside of deeper mixed leagues. Given his immense upside, that could change in a hurry. We need to see it first before we trust him again.

Walker is back with the big club and Tommy Pham was designated for assignment as the corresponding move. Walker hit .276 with 16 home runs and seven stolen bases for St. Louis last year, but struggled mightily with a .145 average, no home runs and no steals in 24 games this year. He’ll likely have a long leash over the last month of the season as the Cardinals look to find out if he’ll sink or swim at the major league level.

It doesn’t really seem like there’s a plan in St. Louis right now. Walker, called up to play against lefties, wound up 1-for-11 with a walk in four games. He might get a longer look in September, particularly if the Cardinals drop out of the race. For now, though, it’s Luken Baker who will get a chance to contribute.

It’ll be Victor Scott II in center field, with Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan in the corners, and Alec Burleson at designated hitter, on Saturday night at Busch Stadium. Walker has gone 1-for-8 with three strikeouts in three games since returning to the majors earlier this week after an extended hot streak at Triple-A Memphis that coincided with some mechanical adjustments to his swing. The 22-year-old former top prospect is unlikely to carve out enough consistent playing time in the Cardinals’ crowded outfield mix to make a significant impact for fantasy managers down the home stretch, but he’s a name to watch heading into next year.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told reporters Siani has yet to resume taking swings, so it seems unlikely he’ll be back before September. The 25-year-old defensive ace hit the injured list back in early August with a moderate right oblique strain. His extended absence has created an opportunity for both Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II at the highest level.

With the Reds throwing left-hander Andrew Abbott, Burleson will slide to the bench alongside Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman. The Cardinals will instead slot Jordan Walker into the lineup and have Pedro Pages catching with Willson Contreras at DH. This is not ideal news for Burleson, who has been a breakout star this season but is hitting just .205/.230/.291 against left-handed pitching this year. With Walker now on the roster, the Cardinals can sit Burleson against lefties, which puts him into a strong side platoon for, potentially, the remainder of the season.