Jordan Walker got the kind of swing that sticks with you.
Back in his home state and playing just outside Stone Mountain, Georgia, the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder ended his home run drought Thursday night at Truist Park, drilling a three-run shot in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves. It was his first homer since June 13, a stretch that lasted 17 games and finally came to an end in a place that made the moment hit a little harder.
The blast gave St. Louis an immediate early lead and served as a sharp reminder of why Walker has been such a dangerous bat for the Cardinals this season.
Even while the ball wasn’t leaving the yard over the last few weeks, he kept putting together a strong offensive line. Entering Thursday, Walker was hitting .288 with 17 home runs, 59 RBIs and an .852 OPS.
The homer pushed him to 18 on the year, and he added three RBIs to his total in one swing.
Walker’s night carried extra meaning because of where it happened. Born in nearby Stone Mountain, Georgia, he was essentially back in his backyard, with the Braves serving as the local opponent and the setting giving the performance a homecoming feel. The Cardinals needed a lift after Wednesday night’s loss in the opener of the series, and Walker provided it right away.
Even during the power drought, Walker never really went quiet. He stayed in the middle of the Cardinals’ lineup and kept producing in other ways, which is a big reason he’s remained one of the National League’s most productive young hitters. Through Thursday’s game, he was among the league leaders with 60 RBIs, continuing to show the offensive package that made him one of baseball’s top prospects.
His June work told the same story. Walker hit .283 with 28 hits and 15 RBIs during the month, a steady run that showed he could still impact games even without the long ball.
Now the Cardinals will hope this is the swing that gets the power flowing again. For a team trying to climb back into the National League playoff race in the second half, that’s exactly the kind of sign they wanted from one of their cornerstone hitters.
In Other News...
Cardinals May Already Have Their First Real Payoff From The Selloff
The first real jolt from the Cardinals selloff may already be taking shape in the form of Jesus Baez, the 21-year-old infielder who came over from the Mets in the Ryan Helsley trade. Baez has been productive across High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield, putting together a .262/.317/.545 line with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs in 61 games, and the power has been the headline even as he continues to work through the finer points of the infield.
Baez has mostly played shortstop, where his arm stands out and the tools are obvious enough to keep the organization intrigued. The remaining questions are the ones that usually decide whether a prospect becomes more than a bat-first gamble, with his range and error rate still areas to clean up as he moves up the ladder. For a Cardinals club trying to measure the long-term value of moving veteran pieces, Baez is the kind of return that can make a trade look a lot better in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Face A Dustin May Concern At The Worst Time
Dustin Mays latest start for the Cardinals ended almost as soon as it began, when the right-hander was struck by a comebacker in the first inning against the Braves. For a club trying to navigate a crucial part of the schedule, the timing could hardly be worse, because every turn through the rotation matters and St. Louis needs stability more than another question mark.
The Cardinals are now watching Mays status closely as they wait to see how he responds in the days ahead. If he cannot take his next turn, Hunter Dobbins stands as the most obvious fallback from Triple-A, giving St. Louis at least one clear contingency while it sorts out a situation that could shape the rest of this stretch. [Read more 🡒]