Chase Burns' Extension Proves Cardinals Must Act Now with Jordan Walker

The time has come for the Cardinals to do something about Jordan Walker's future.

Jul 8, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) reacts after hitting a one run double against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Thursday, the Cincinnati Reds continued the trend of extending young players early in their careers, giving right-hander Chase Burns a seven-year, $105 million contract extension. This comes less than a week after the St. Louis Cardinals locked up JJ Wetherholt for eight years and $112.5 million.

Because the Cardinals are a young team and are laying the foundation for the future, Wetherholt will not be the last player extended, possibly even this year. The Cardinals have other players that could be in line for it next, most notably Jordan Walker.

After a breakout first half and Home Run Derby championship, Walker's stock may soon be increasing. But the amount the small-market Reds managed to extend Burns for and the timing of it prove why now is the time for St. Louis to do something about Walker.

Chase Burns' extension speeds up timeline for Cardinals, Jordan Walker

Jul 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) slides safely into home against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Reds were able to keep Burns at a good price by simply going ahead and getting the deal done. The Cardinals did the same with Wetherholt. After Walker's strong first half, his stock is only going to increase.

The longer the Cardinals wait to extend him, the higher his price is going to be. Chaim Bloom was smart to jump on the opportunity with Wetherholt, but it's important to remember that the Cardinals aren't exactly a big-market team like the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their market exceeds that of the Reds, but this isn't a team that's going to be splurging on high-dollar free agents. That just hasn't been their model.

Traditionally, the Cardinals try to build from within and lock up their core for the future. They took their first step towards doing that with Wetherholt, but now, the time has come to do it with Walker as well.

The Cardinals will want to be sure that they can keep him around at a good price. That way, the investment won't interfere with other areas of the organization that need attention, such as player development.

If the Reds were able to keep Burns at such a price, the Cardinals should be able to do it with Walker. Granted, the price tag will likely be higher than that, but the Cardinals should act quickly if they want to sign him to a team-friendly deal.

In the first half, Walker hit .294/.354/.532 with 22 home runs, 74 RBI, a 3.8 WAR and an .887 OPS.