The St. Louis Cardinals made a notable lineup decision involving Jordan Walker during their series against the Cincinnati Reds, moving the young slugger into the designated-hitter role rather than asking him to play the field. Heavy reported that Walker was batting cleanup and serving as the DH for the second game of Monday’s doubleheader.
The decision came after Walker had already made a major impact in the series opener. He went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the nightcap of the doubleheader and finished the two games 5-for-9, showing that his bat remained productive even as the Cardinals adjusted his defensive responsibilities.
The timing is particularly interesting because Walker has emerged as one of St. Louis’ most important offensive pieces in 2026. Earlier in the season, he earned his first All-Star selection and won the Home Run Derby, marking a dramatic turnaround after an inconsistent beginning to his MLB career.
The Cardinals also entered the Reds series with considerable momentum. They had just dominated the Chicago Cubs 11-4, with Walker and Alec Burleson each collecting three hits, a home run and four RBIs. That victory gave St. Louis its fourth consecutive series win.
Monday’s doubleheader produced a split. St. Louis won the opener 2-1, but Cincinnati rallied in the second game to win 6-5 in 10 innings. Elly De La Cruz delivered the decisive RBI double in the 10th inning, while Walker continued to be one of the Cardinals’ biggest offensive threats.
More recently, St. Louis continued its strong road trip by beating Cincinnati 3-0 on Wednesday, with Masyn Winn providing a home run and two doubles while Kyle Leahy and the Cardinals bullpen combined for a shutout. The victory moved St. Louis to 6-2 over its last eight games and 4-2 on its current 11-game road trip.
Bottom line: Walker’s temporary move into the DH role appears to be a lineup-management decision designed to keep his bat in the order while reducing his defensive workload. Given how productive he has been offensively, the Cardinals clearly still want his bat playing a major role as they push through the second half of the season.
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