Walker's breakout mirrors Cards' winning start to second half

PHOENIX -- For the second straight year, the Cardinals began the second half with a series at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks having put together a first half that outpaces most preseason projections for the club. Even the records are nearly identical, as St. Louis closed the first half of 2025 at 51-46 and rolled into Friday’s series opener at a nearly identical 50-45.

But that’s where the similarities begin to come apart, as this year’s Cardinals are a very different club, and no player demonstrates that contrast more than Jordan Walker.

Walker, the newly crowned Home Run Derby champion, is coming off an MVP-caliber first half that saw him post a .294/.354/.532 slash line, good for a 148 OPS+ and 3.8 bWAR. He’s head and shoulders the biggest reason the Cardinals find themselves tied for the third and final National League Wild Card spot after Friday’s 5-4 victory over the D-backs.

Athletes can be obsessive creatures of habit, but Walker said he’s not worried about the time off during the break or the drama of the Derby taking him off his game.

“I think the break is good, honestly,” Walker said. “Even if it does [disrupt the rhythm], I’ll just get right back on it and figure stuff out. There’s a lot of people around here I can trust to help me out with that.”

Manager Oliver Marmol had a front-row seat to Walker’s Derby theatrics, as he was on hand as one of NL manager Dave Roberts' honorary coaches in Philadelphia.

“It was incredible for a lot of reasons,” Marmol said. “But for him to be able to do it the way that he did it in front of those fans says a lot about where he’s at. But also having a moment like that can propel you forward in a way that a lot of different events can’t.”

The vibe around Walker could not be more different than it was at this time last season, when Walker returned from an appendectomy to open the second half slashing .210/.267/.295 with a 33% strikeout rate.

Once a top prospect who turned in a solid 2023 rookie season, Walker struggled mightily in ‘24 and ‘25. His power profile had completely fallen off and Marmol didn’t think Walker could even get everyday at-bats.

What a difference a year makes.

Nobody is worried about finding Walker at-bats now. Brendan Donovan is gone. Alec Burleson has shifted to first base and Nolan Gorman was optioned to Triple-A last month after struggling this season.

Marmol said Walker’s rocky road may have paved the way for even greater things to come.

“He can speak to failure now, and I think a player becomes a real Major League player when they can speak to both sides of what it’s like to actually handle failure and get on the other side of it,” Marmol said. “This allows for that. So I’m glad everything has taken place the way it has because we’re headed in a really good direction with where he’s at.”

This wasn’t an overnight turnaround. It’s happened slowly ever since Walker began a swing rebuild while on rehab assignment last July, hoping to cut down on the swing and miss and rediscover the power you’d expect from a former first-round Draft pick who stands 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds.

“I wouldn’t point to just one [adjustment] as the key,” Marmol said. “But there are differences in his swing mechanically. There’s a difference in his preparation. And the combination of those things have led to success, which breeds confidence. I think that kind of cycle has fed itself in a really positive way.”

Walker went 1-for-4 on Friday, missing out on a couple of chances to drive in some runs, but extended his on-base streak to 19 games. Masyn Winn (three RBIs), JJ Wetherholt (14th homer) and Michael McGreevy (two runs allowed in 6 1/3 innings) were there to pick up the slack.

With a young core like that, and a Jordan Walker who’s just starting to figure it out, Marmol might be starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“He’s had a good season. The ceiling is high and his skillset is real,” Marmol said, “and no one should get the credit but him, because he’s the one putting in the work and having to execute it every night.”