The IMPACT of Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt! Enough For A St. Louis Cardinals PLAYOFF PUSH?

St. Louis Cardinals surprise NL Central with youthful energy, but key struggles threaten their playoff hopes. Can rising stars Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt anchor a turnaround, or will recent slumps and demotions spell trouble for the second half? Power rankings drop the Cardinals as the lineup sputters—despite strong seasons from Alec Burleson, Iván Herrera, and standouts in the bullpen like Riley O’Brien. The conversation focused on Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II, and Thomas Saggese’s stints in Memphis, Matthew Liberatore’s disappointing regression as a starter, and the need for offensive creativity against tough opponents like the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. The discussion explored St. Louis’ position as contenders versus pretenders, the impact of upcoming series on trade deadline decisions, and which prospects could get a shot if the youth movement continues. Will the Cardinals’ competitiveness waver, or can they push for the postseason against the NL’s best? 00:00 First Half Recap & Surprises 12:27 Underperformers & Demotions 23:28 Power Rankings & Upcoming Series Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-st-louis-cardinals/ Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/ Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonstlcardinals.supercast.com/ Follow the show on Twitter/X: @LO_Cardinals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Amazon This Back To School Season, spend less on your kids, with Amazon. With Amazon’s low Back To School Prices, just spend less on your kids. Because every dollar you don’t spend on them, is a dollar you haven’t spent on them. KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #ForTheLou #stlcards #mlb #lockedoncardinals #stlouiscardinals Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.