Given that Jordan Walker’s best two weeks at Triple-A Memphis coincided with a midseason slump for the St. Louis Cardinals, it’s no surprise that the highly regarded outfield prospect has returned to the major leagues. During his last two series in the minors, Walker hit four home runs and posted a remarkable 1.102 OPS over 57 plate appearances. Although Matt Carpenter’s injury might have technically opened up a roster spot, it’s hard to believe that a 38-year-old veteran hasn’t been dealing with back issues for a significant part of the season.
The Cardinals had been non-committal about Walker’s return for months, but it became apparent that Walker’s hitting improvements, coupled with the struggles of players ahead of him, made his promotion inevitable. Despite trading for Tommy Pham at the deadline with plans for him to face lefties, Pham has been used almost daily in his first two weeks back with the Cardinals. The injury to Michael Siani allowed Victor Scott II to step in, but Pham’s increased usage seems more about addressing the team’s need to limit exposure to struggling hitters.
Lars Nootbaar has seen his slugging percentage fall below his on-base percentage over the past 28 days, with a weak .611 OPS. His performance has deteriorated recently, with just a .385 OPS in the last two weeks and a mere 1-for-13 showing in the past week. Nolan Gorman, meanwhile, is battling an exceptionally high strikeout rate and has seen his power diminish. His OPS stands at .642 over the past month with only two home runs, and it has dropped to .593 in the last two weeks with no home runs. Despite recent hits, Gorman’s power is crucial for his spot in the lineup.
This power outage and a decline in defense have left the Cardinals more receptive to Walker’s return. While Walker may not have barged through the door, he has certainly made it clear that he deserves a chance. Brendan Donovan, who has been versatile in the field, has seen increased time at second base, with Gorman spending more time on the bench, further opening opportunities for Walker.