Cardinals fans can't fret about Jordan Walker succumbing to a mythical curse

Jordan Walker will be a busy bird during the All-Star break this season. After being named as a reserve for the National League All-Star Team, the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder was in the news again when he was revealed as a participant in the Home Run Derby as well. This should be a joyous occasion for Cardinals supporters, but a significant portion of the fanbase might not be completely enamored with the idea.

There's a long-held belief in fan circles that the Home Run Derby messes with players' swings and causes them to be less productive in the second half of the season, and those who subscribe to this idea may dread the thought of Walker selling out for power at the expense of getting on base. The only issue? The entire theory is nonsense.

Will Walker have fewer home runs after the All-Star break than he did before it? It's more likely than not, but that's only because the second "half" of the season is shorter than the portion before the break. Also, fans can't forget that many players voted into the All-Star Game and who participate in the derby are there because of a power breakout. They're far more likely to regress closer to their usual numbers than they are to improve or stay at their exact pace as they slog farther into the season. This occurs with All-Stars not in the Home Run Derby as well.

But let's say Walker does drop off significantly when the games start back up. Does that really affect anything this season? Remember that the Cardinals are still in a rebuild and that they never intended to compete for a playoff berth in 2026. If Walker's performance slips, it might cost the team some games and make it easier to stomach the likely fact that the Cardinals will sell some of their assets at the trade deadline.

If Walker's lesser performance were to carry over to 2027 (assuming there's a season), then there might be cause for concern, but Walker has shown with his admirable effort to improve over the past season that he should be able to find his way out of any slumps, as he already has this year.

Cardinals fans should appreciate this as a testament to Walker's tireless work

Walker's rise from the ashes in 2026 has been stunning. After two seasons where he was among the worst player in the majors, the 24-year-old now leads the league in RBIs and is the first Cardinal to reach 70 RBIs before the All-Star break since Albert Pujols in 2009. Walker had long been holding massive expectations on his shoulders, and his struggles to meet them seemed to plague him mentally over the past few seasons.

Now, with the help of hitting coaches Brant Brown and Casey Chenoweth, among others, Walker has acclimated to the demands that baseball has thrust upon him, and his presence at the Home Run Derby will provide him with plenty of national recognition. If he can translate his success to the next season, that exposure to the wider baseball world could catapult him into the starting lineup for the next All-Star Game.

Cardinals fans can't get melodramatic about Walker's presence in the summer slugfest. Despite what some would want you to believe, there's no discernible negative effect that participation in the Home Derby has on a player's hitting ability, and even if there were, Walker isn't going to make or break a championship for St. Louis this year. Fans should be over the moon with joy for the Cardinals slugger as he heads to Philadelphia for some well-earned spotlight.

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