Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Offense 'Coming Back To Earth' Following Red-Hot Start To 2025

St. Louis' lineup is losing its momentum
Nate Hagerty|
Apr 13, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA;St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (18) heads to third base after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA;St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (18) heads to third base after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals shockingly had one of the league's hottest lineups throughout the first couple of weeks this season but sadly, reality is creeping in.

Under new hitting coach Brant Brown, the Cardinals' offense is far more confident and patient than it was a year ago. However, the lineup has recently slipped in the rankings, falling to 15th in runs scored (108), 13th in OPS (.705) and 26th in home runs (17).

St. Louis' lineup might currently rank higher than some would've expected it to before the season began but unfortunately, a young Cardinals slugger's regression at the plate could represent where the team's offense is headed.

"St. Louis Cardinals: Coming back to earth after hot first two weeks," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote Wednesday, ranking the Cardinals' offense at No. 10 among the league. "Least Valuable Player: Jordan Walker," Miller continued. "One of the top prospects in all of baseball heading into the 2023 season, Walker is knee-deep in yet another disappointing season. He hit .201 in 51 big league games played last year and is barely ahead of that at .208 early this year. The Cardinals still have high hopes for the 2020 first-round pick who turns 23 next month, but he has had a negative bWAR every year in the majors."

Walker is batting .208 with 20 hits including one double and two home runs, seven RBIs and a .550 OPS in 26 games played for the Cardinals this season.

The Cardinals' 2020 first-round draft pick has failed to live up to high expectations and some believe this could be Walker's make-or-break season.

Since logging an impressive rookie season -- batting .276 with 116 hits, 37 extra-base hits including 16 home runs, 51 RBIs and a .787 OPS in 117 games played for the Cardinals in 2023 -- Walker has been demoted to Triple-A Memphis twice because of his poor offensive performance.

Luckily, Walker is only 22 years old, so he might still have time to fulfill his immense offensive potential with the Cardinals. In the meantime, other St. Louis sluggers such as Willson Contreras, Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson need to figure out their swings or the franchise could be headed for a third consecutive year of missing the postseason.

More MLB: Cardinals Inching Closer To Receiving Much-Needed Lineup Boost

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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