Jordan Walker injures knee stepping on sprinkler as Cardinals face anxious wait

The St.

Louis Cardinals were dealt an early blow in their attempt to rebound from a poor 2024 season: 22-year-old outfielder Jordan Walker is set to be shut down after injuring in knee on a sprinkler while catching a fly ball in an MLB Spring Training game.

The Cardinals were not at home - Jordan's accident happened in right field at the Washington Nationals' complex (Cacti Park).

Fortunately, his MRI showed no structural damage and just some mild irritation that will online keep him from baseball activities for a week.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was mum when asked about the incident.

It is what it is, he said.

Well let it calm down for a week and then well ramp that baby back up, and well still have time to see him in plenty of [ spring training ] games." He was perfectly fine and what you would expect it to be, he said.

He wants to be there every day, but knowing this is just some inflammation that he needs to allow to calm down so that he can get back into it, thats obviously a positive.

He was fine.

The 6'6", 250-pound outfielder at first seemed unbothered making the catch before glancing down at the turf.

Walker then tried to stamp on what presumably was the sprinkler.

Former New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle famously suffered a career-altering injury stepping on a rogue sprinkler while attempting to catch a fly ball during Game 1 of the 1951 World Series (his rookie season).

Here is footage of the second-inning play where #STLCards RF Jordan Walker is believed to have experienced pain in his left knee while tracking a fly ball.

Walker was removed from the game because of that pain and will undergo further evaluation, per the club.

pic.twitter.com/2IqhwRvVig John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 4, 2025 While Mantle would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and even captured the 1956 Triple Crown, the Yankees outfielder notably attempted to steal fewer bases and lacked the same explosiveness from that point forward.

Walker, a former top prospect, opened the 2024 season as the team's right fielder before being demoted due to his porous numbers at the plate.

He hit much better after he was called back up in late August and posted a .780 OPS with five home runs and 16 RBIs during a strong September.

If the injury turns out to be more serious, St Louis could opt to play utilityman Alec Burleson in the outfield on a more regular basis.

The team could also elect to call up speedy center-fielder Victor Scott and move Lars Nootbaar to right.

They could also elect to go with untested prospect Thomas Saggese..

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