The St. Louis Cardinals secured their latest series victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday afternoon, taking the rubber match 7-4.
The Cardinals begin another MLB series, this time facing the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ahead of the series opener, St. Louis revealed a notable change involving Jordan Walker in the batting order.
Jordan Walker missed several games for the Cardinals last week while dealing with knee inflammation. Fortunately, the issue did not result in an IL stint, and Walker is now back in the lineup.
Jordan Walker Batting Cleanup
Walker has typically occupied the No. 2 spot in the Cardinals’ batting order on a regular basis. However, manager Oli Marmol is moving him into the cleanup role on Monday. The Phillies will send Andrew Painter to the mound as their starter.
Here is the full Cardinals batting order for 8/10, per @UnderdogMLB:
Cardinals 8/10: “J. Wetherholt 2B I. Herrera DH A. Burleson 1B J. Walker RF N. Church CF M. Winn SS J. Fermín LF J. Crooks C C. Prieto 3B H. Dobbins SP”
Hunter Dobbins will take the mound for St. Louis, while the lineup includes several adjustments among the top four hitters. With Walker moving into the cleanup spot, Alec Burleson will bat third, while Ivan Herrera will serve as the designated hitter and hit second.
Taking a Glance at Jordan Walker’s 2026 Season Thus Far
The Cardinals remain surprisingly close to the NL Wild Card picture, and if St. Louis manages to secure an MLB playoff berth, Walker is likely to play an important part in that push.
Now in his fourth MLB season, Walker is putting together what has been a significant breakout year.
Despite experiencing something of a slump since the All-Star break, Walker is still hitting .285 with 23 home runs, 83 RBI, and an .834 OPS. His career OPS stands at .730, making his 2026 production a substantial step forward from what he has accomplished in previous seasons.
Walker also captured the Home Run Derby title last month and earned his first career MLB All-Star selection. St. Louis currently sits at 59-59 and will need a strong run over the final stretch of the season. However, there is always, and I emphasize ALWAYS, at least one MLB team that catches fire in September and makes a playoff push after seemingly being counted out.