The St. Louis Cardinals will look to extend their winning streak to eight games when they face the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon. This impressive run has come as a pleasant surprise, with the team’s veteran core finding its stride at a time few expected.
Expectations were modest entering the season, especially after John Mozeliak, in his final year as president of baseball operations, failed to make significant offseason moves despite pledging to focus on the team’s future. Yet somehow, the Cardinals may have stumbled into contention.
That unexpected success, however, adds pressure to the few players who haven’t been performing. While Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado have returned to form, the right field situation remains a problem. Jordan Walker, once a top prospect, has seen his performance collapse.
Now in his third season, the 22-year-old is rapidly falling out of favor within the organization. If his struggles continue for a few more weeks, the Cardinals may be forced to explore other options.
Jordan Walker’s season-long slump puts Cardinals in a different position
A first-round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft, Jordan Walker made a splashy entrance to the majors in 2023. At just 20 years old, he posted a .787 OPS with 16 home runs, showing off his massive 6-foot-6 frame, strong contact metrics, and the promise of becoming a cornerstone in St. Louis.
But 2024 was a step back. Injuries limited him to just 51 games, and while some of his underlying metrics showed improvement, his overall production declined — he finished with a .619 OPS and continued to struggle defensively in the outfield.
This year was seen as a pivotal moment — an opportunity for Walker to rebound and reestablish his standing in the organization. Instead, his performance has deteriorated. Nearly halfway through May, he’s posting a .531 OPS and has nearly twice as many strikeouts (40) as hits (22). The urgency for a change is growing.
While it would be risky for the Cardinals to cut bait on Walker, they may have to seriously entertain trade offers if the right package of promising prospects becomes available. In the meantime, a demotion — either to the bench or Triple-A — seems increasingly likely.
Walker still flashes elite bat speed (99th percentile) and can hit the ball hard, but he’s chasing too many pitches out of the zone and ranks in just the eighth percentile for expected slugging. The signs are troubling.
With José Barrero producing well (.824 OPS over 170 at-bats), the team may soon be forced to act. Whether it’s time off to reset mentally or a stint in the minors to rebuild confidence, it’s clear that the current trajectory isn’t sustainable. In a tight NL Central race, the Cardinals can’t afford to wait much longer. Something has to give.
