The St. Louis Cardinals are in search of an improved showing amid the start of the 2024 MLB season. So far, the Cardinals are 11-14 and sit last in the NL Central. Moreover, St. Louis made the tough decision to demote right fielder Jordan Walker to the minor leagues after his slow start. Walker’s teammate Nolan Arenado shared some heartfelt words amid the young player’s challenges.
Arenado displayed great empathy for Walker and talked about his impact on the team after the move.
“Jordan Walker is a great kid, man—it’s sad to see him go,” Arenado said, per Benjamin Hochman. “I didn’t know until I got here (Wednesday morning) that I realized what happened. It stinks. You don’t want to see people get sent down and he’s been working in the cage and he’s trying to figure it out. And it’s unfortunate the work hasn’t paid off in the game yet. That’s kind of been everybody so far this year.”
“We’ll miss him; I know he’ll get right and we need him…If there’s one message—I don’t know what they told them—but if there’s one message we can send him is that we need him. And hopefully he gets right and we can make a good run,” Arenado added.
Nolan Arenado’s words provide great encouragement for Walker, whose production has been slippery during the early stages of the season. Walker batted an average of .155, was responsible for four RBI, and maintained an OPS of .497 through 20 appearances with the Cardinals.
Hopefully, Walker can work through the kinks in his game to get back to the Major League and help St. Louis rise in the NL Central. The Cardinals’ start as a whole has not been promising, but there is optimism they can overcome their woes.
Cardinals look to other personnel for a boost
St. Louis still has plenty of weapons to help them ascend. Veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado is doing more than encouraging his teammates. He is a serviceable contributor for the Cardinals. Arenado leads the team in home runs, hits, and RBI through the first 20 games.
However, he will need more help on the offensive side for the Cardinals to overcome tough opposition. This is where Masyn Winn comes in. Winn holds a team-best .299 batting average. At just 22 years old, he has time and opportunity to take a leap for St. Louis and boost their offense.
Of course, St. Louis needs to maintain a stout defensive stand to improve. Thankfully, Sonny Gray is providing a steady supportive presence for the Cardinals in his debut year. The 34-year-old joined St. Louis after a two-year stint with the Minnesota Twins. He brings a wealth of experience and skill to the Cardinals’ pitching lineup.
Gray’s teammate Lance Lynn sang his praises amid his early-season showing for the Cardinals.
“You know, you see his grow over the years. As a teammate with him in New York and just seeing him now, he’s in total control over everything that he does. Not only in between starts, day of start, pitch process, everything. He’s really taken his game to a level and you see it on the field,” Lance claimed.
One thing is clear: St. Louis has the tools to succeed. If they lock in, they can climb the NL Central standings. Similarly, Jordan Walker can find his way back to the Major League team if he executes well in the minors.
More must-reads: