The St. Louis Cardinals, stuck in a five-game losing streak, will send a slightly rearranged batting order onto the field Thursday night for the finale of their series against the Baltimore Orioles.
Manager Oliver Marmol is looking for any spark he can find as the regular season winds down. First-time All-Star Jordan Walker is the latest player to get a new spot in the lineup.
Walker hit cleanup Wednesday and went 1-for-4. On Thursday he will bat third.
He remains in right field. Jose Fermin and Ivan Herrera will occupy the first two spots.
The full Cardinals lineup for Thursday is: “Cardinals 8/27 J. Fermín SS I. Herrera DH J. Walker RF A. Burleson 1B J. Báez LF B. Jordan 3B R. Urías 2B N. Church CF P. Pagés C G. Graceffo SP.”
Walker has seen his production dip since the All-Star break, when he made his first midsummer classic and won the Home Run Derby. Even so, 2026 has been a career year for the young outfielder.
He has played in 130 games, scored 83 runs, collected 144 hits, hit 27 home runs and driven in 97 runs in 506 at-bats. His batting average sits at .285 with an .846 OPS.
The Cardinals as a team have struggled badly after the break. They sit at 66-68 and have watched their playoff hopes grow thinner by the week.
St. Louis is 16.5 games behind in the National League Central. The club also trails the last wild-card berth by six games.
A win Thursday would at least stop the bleeding before the Cardinals return home for a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Marmol has moved Walker around the top of the order several times this season. The latest shift is another attempt to get more consistent production from a lineup that has gone cold.
Fermin and Herrera at the top give the Cardinals two different looks to start innings. Walker batting third puts one of the team’s better power threats in a position to drive in early runs.
The Orioles have already taken the first two games of the series. Baltimore has looked sharper at the plate and on the mound during the recent stretch.
Cardinals starter Gordon Graceffo will try to keep the game close long enough for the revamped order to do some damage.
Fans in St. Louis have watched the second-half slide with growing frustration. The club was expected to contend after a promising first half.
Walker’s All-Star appearance and derby title were highlights in an otherwise uneven summer. The organization still views him as a cornerstone piece for the years ahead.
Whether batting third produces immediate results remains to be seen. Marmol has made it clear he is willing to keep mixing and matching until something clicks.
The Cardinals need wins, and they need them soon. Thursday night in Baltimore is the next chance to start climbing out of the hole.
