Jordan Walker could be on the verge of returning to the St. Louis Cardinals’ lineup, a development that would provide a welcome offensive lift as they prepare to face the Colorado Rockies with their National League wild-card hopes hanging in the balance.
Walker, an All-Star and Home Run Derby champion enjoying a breakout campaign, has sat out the Cardinals’ last two games because of soreness in his right knee. He remains questionable for Friday’s series opener against Colorado, the first game of a three-game set that will continue St. Louis’ six-game homestand.
The injury occurred earlier this week at Yankee Stadium when Walker jammed his knee while running the bases. What was initially expected to be a routine day of rest turned into a two-game absence spanning three days. He was ultimately scratched from Wednesday’s series finale against the New York Yankees, and the Cardinals had Thursday off.
Walker did take part in pregame activity in New York, getting some work in defensively and taking swings. However, the soreness was still significant enough that he was unavailable even as a potential pinch-hitter. St. Louis is hopeful the additional rest will be enough for its power hitter to return.
“We’ll see when we get back after the day off,” Walker told reporters in New York.
Despite a recent power drought, Walker has put together impressive numbers this season. He is hitting .285 with a .343 on-base percentage and a .491 slugging percentage, while also contributing 22 home runs and 14 stolen bases.
His recent production, however, has cooled considerably. Walker has struggled at the plate over the past several weeks, particularly when it comes to his power. Since the period surrounding his Home Run Derby appearance at the All-Star break, the long balls have largely disappeared. He enters Friday without a home run in his last 22 games.
The Cardinals are scheduled to send right-hander Kyle Leahy to the mound Friday. Leahy owns a 7-4 record with a 3.44 ERA and has been one of the more reliable pieces of the St. Louis pitching staff recently.
Since late June, Leahy has gone 2-0 across seven starts while posting an impressive 1.21 ERA. During his last 37 1/3 innings, he has struck out 32 batters while allowing only 24 hits and nine walks.
Leahy has limited experience against Colorado, making five relief appearances against the Rockies while recording a 4.32 ERA. Current Colorado hitters are a combined 2-for-17 against him, with seven strikeouts. Kyle Karros and Ezequiel Tovar are the only Rockies hitters to have recorded hits against him.
While St. Louis has shown signs of improvement this month, the club still has plenty of ground to make up. The Cardinals are 10-19 since July 5 and entered Friday just one game below .500 for the season.
As of Thursday afternoon, St. Louis sat four games behind the National League’s third wild-card position. The Cardinals remain one of six teams within realistic striking distance of the postseason field, although the organization has already begun balancing its playoff ambitions with its long-term plans.
Before Monday’s trade deadline, St. Louis dealt outfielder Lars Nootbaar and right-hander Dustin May in separate moves, signaling that the front office is already looking toward the future. The Philadelphia Phillies, currently occupying a postseason position, are scheduled to arrive in St. Louis for a three-game series beginning Monday.
Colorado, meanwhile, will turn to right-hander Ryan Feltner. The Rockies starter enters the matchup at 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA and will begin a nine-game road trip with his team carrying MLB’s worst record at 45-70.
The Rockies have been particularly poor away from home, going just 18-38 on the road.
Feltner has endured a difficult stretch of his own. Since July 1, he has made five starts and posted an 8.75 ERA. Although he has not faced St. Louis since 2024, his previous meetings with the Cardinals that season were considerably more successful. In two starts, Feltner surrendered a 1.59 ERA while striking out 13 over 11 1/3 innings.
Despite Colorado’s struggles, manager Warren Schaeffer believes there are encouraging signs within his clubhouse. Schaeffer, who has a career managerial record of 81-156 with the Rockies, remains convinced the club is moving in the right direction even after recently being swept at home by the Tampa Bay Rays.
“We have a good thing going here,” Schaeffer said. “We’re getting better, we’re playing the game the way that we want to play, we’re preparing the way we want to prepare. And we think that’s gonna be the answer.”
Friday’s matchup will mark the first of six meetings between Colorado and St. Louis this season. The clubs will meet again for a three-game series in Denver from Sept. 4-6.
For the Cardinals, though, the immediate storyline will be Walker’s knee and whether their All-Star slugger is healthy enough to return. With St. Louis still within striking distance of the wild-card race, getting its biggest bats back on the field could prove critical as the season enters its decisive stretch.