Did Jordan Walker just change the Cardinals' trade deadline plans?

Although the Cardinals didn’t end up with a single All-Star starter this season, they still made a mark on this year’s Midsummer Classic. During the Home Run Derby, Jordan Walker took baseball’s breath away with six straight homers to rip victory out of Kyle Schwarber’s hands–in his own backyard. 

Walker’s performance was nothing short of a spectacle. Philly fans showered him in boos as he homered on the infamous ‘magenta ball’ that hitters had struggled with all night, and ended with his wonderful family by his side, hoisting a trophy. 

MLB legend Barry Bonds called it “the greatest Home Run Derby” he’d ever seen. 

Social media couldn’t get enough of Walker’s performance. He used it as a way to promote the game of baseball to African Americans, saying that he “wants more black kids in baseball.” 

Whether it’s baseball success, cultural impact, or a heartwarming success story, people are watching the Redbirds. 

With all the national attention that St. Louis has been receiving, could it factor into deadline decisions? 

Could the Cardinals shift their approach in light of recent circumstances?

Walker’s brilliant blasts in the Home Run Derby were just the follow-up for Cardinal Nation after star rookie JJ Wetherholt signed an eight-year, $112.5 million extension. 

St. Louis finally has a player to build around, and he’s a heck of a talent. 

Wetherholt is about as close to a five-tool player as the Cardinals have, outside of the aforementioned Walker. 

That being said, it seemed like Chaim Bloom and the rest of the front office may have been soft-launching a Cardinals teardown. 

The timing of the Wetherholt extension had the backbone to soften what seemed to be a ‘soft sell’ deadline in St. Louis. 

It’s been a recurring theme in press conferences, interviews, and everything in between for the Cardinals to talk about a “plan” that they’re sticking to. 

No recency bias, no emotion, just pure faith in what they’re building. 

Bloom emphasizes steady growth over rapid success and has remained confident in his vision for the future.

That kind of discipline is respectable, but when you find a golden goose, you can’t bide your time until it hatches three more. 

Walker's Home Run Derby performance helped demonstrate to the rest of MLB what he’s been doing all season. 

And now, the Cardinals would have to justify selling to their own fanbase and to pundits and fans across the league. 

Where the Cardinals are at right now for the deadline

Even though St. Louis found itself five games above the .500 mark ahead of the break, there was a lot of noise about selling. 

Expiring contracts like Dustin May and Ryne Stanek, and even shiny relievers Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero, were commonly listed as trade fits elsewhere. 

This would contribute to Bloom’s vision for an ever-evolving pipeline of young talent that streams directly to Busch Stadium. St. Louis has already revamped its farm, and with even more additions at the deadline, it’d rival any team in baseball. 

Cardinals fans thought differently, though. Emotions would flare high when selling became the talk of the town, especially since it came on the heels of trading away the entire top half of a lineup last offseason. 

The question is: Can Bloom and the rest of the front office continue to find lightning in a bottle, on the field and in the stands, if they still sell? 

Momentum shouldn’t dictate front office decisions. Bloom certainly understands that. However, success is never promised in baseball. There are no guarantees the Cardinals get back to this point in the near future. 

Reasons to be confident? Sure. But if the Cardinals look back after a rough deadline in a few years where all their trades went awry, it’ll be a tough pill to swallow. 

There are finally reasons to smile about Cardinal baseball, and that’s why it’s hard to imagine a ‘rainy day deadline.’ 

Fans are back at the ballpark, the national media is buzzing about Wetherholt and Walker, and the Cardinals are in the thick of the playoff race. 

Obviously, St. Louis has a few more series before the deadline–most notably against the Arizona Diamondbacks and a four-game set against the rival Chicago Cubs. 

Based on their results ahead of the deadline, you could justify either buying or selling. If the team flails, then away with May. If the Cards soar, then double down on the cardiac kids. 

It sounds simple, but when your organization sits in the limelight, every decision is under a microscope. 

There hasn’t been much to be excited about in The Lou for a few years now. Since Albert Pujols launched his 700th home run, fans have been waiting for something to be jubilant about.

Walker gave them just that. With a flurry of mammoth blasts that rang louder than the boos that surrounded them, J-Dub has reintroduced the world to St. Louis. 

Now, it’s time to see how the front office responds. The headlines are back in The Lou. What comes next in the Show Me State? 

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