Jordan Walker Stuns With First Home Run in Cardinals Spring Finale

IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals teammates surround St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (18, center) as they celebrate their 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants after Walker doubled to left, scoring shortstop Masyn Winn (not shown) and second baseman Garrett Hampson (not shown) in the bottom of the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. / USA TODAY NETWORK-USA TODAY NETWORK / Imagn Images

Cardinals Wrap Up Spring Training on a High Note

Final Score: Cardinals 3, Astros 2

Greetings from Jupiter, Florida, where the Cardinals wrapped up their spring training with a thrilling victory over the Astros. The spotlight shone brightly on Jordan Walker, who finally found his groove at the plate. After a challenging start, Walker blasted his first home run of the spring, contributing to a two-hit performance that sealed the Cardinals’ win in West Palm Beach.

Walker’s moment of triumph came right after a successful challenge on a 2-2 pitch, which was overturned by the ABS system, giving him a fresh 3-2 count. He capitalized on the opportunity, sending the ball over the fence, a much-needed confidence boost after striking out 15 times in his first 40 at-bats.

The Cardinals ended their spring with a flourish, riding a five-game winning streak and posting an impressive 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games. Here’s how the action unfolded on Sunday:

Pitching Highlights: Michael McGreevy was in fine form, allowing just one run over five innings in his final spring start. He showcased his control by not issuing a single walk and striking out five batters, wrapping up the spring with a stellar 2.45 ERA.

Chris Roycroft, who had been flawless throughout spring, surrendered his first run after seven scoreless innings. Meanwhile, George Soriano continued his dominant performance, finishing with another scoreless inning, allowing only one unearned run in eight appearances.

Offensive Notes: Nathan Church made an impact with a run-scoring double, while Jose Fermin added to the tally with an RBI single.

JJ Wetherholt, batting leadoff, drew a walk in one of his three plate appearances, ending the spring with a .212 average. Masyn Winn also showed patience at the plate, drawing two walks.

Roster Updates: The Cardinals have solidified their pitching staff for the upcoming season, selecting 13 pitchers, including five newcomers: starter Dustin May and relievers Justin Bruihl, Matt Pushard, Ryne Stanek, and George Soriano. No additional roster moves were announced, and the team will carry extra position players into their exhibition game on Monday night in Springfield.

With spring training behind them, the Cardinals are poised and ready to tackle the regular season, riding high on momentum and newfound confidence.