Cardinals' Jordan Walker receives extension update that should get done quickly

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Cardinals' Jordan Walker receives extension update that should get done quickly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There has been a lot to be excited about this season for St. Louis Cardinals fans, as their record is a lot better than anyone could've expected for a rebuilding team.

But the real reason why fans should be excited about the 2026 season so far isn't just the production of JJ Wetherholt, but rather the emergence of Jordan Walker as a true star, as he's finally reaching his potential.

And to make things even better, MLB insider Robert Murray for Fansided.com highlighted Walker as a potential extension candidate this season.

"While JJ Wetherholt has been mentioned as an extension candidate for the St. Louis Cardinals, the case for locking up Jordan Walker is also strong," Murray reports.

The Cardinals' looking to extend Walker right now does carry some risk in case his 2026 breakout is just a mirage. However, the Cardinals are only going to feel the pain if they wait too long. They need to get a deal done, and soon.

Cardinals get extension update on Jordan Walker, they should act upon ASAP​

Walker is hitting .290 this season with 11 homers and a .924 OPS and 164 OPS+ in 41 games and 176 plate appearances. His 2.5 bWAR is already more than the rest of his career combined by a wide margin, as he was a net negative player before this season.

The Cardinals slugger is breaking out at 23 years old, and he will be 24 on May 22nd. St. Louis should not be hesitant to extend Walker.

He's under club control through the 2029 season, and since he's still so young, there should be no qualms over offering him a long-term extension.

Murray highlighted the six-year extension Pete Crow-Armstrong signed with the Chicago Cubs and the 10-year extension Austin Riley signed with the Atlanta Braves as two potential avenues.

MORE: 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals

Ideally, the Cardinals get Walker for the rest of his career, especially if this 2026 production is actually who he is as an MLB player.

But, a more realistic extension for Walker might be a deal that carries him under club control through the 2031 season, getting two years of control after his arbitration years are up.

It will cost the Cardinals a lot of money, but this is the kind of extension the rebuilding Cardinals should make. They saved a ton of money by trading veterans and will have plenty of money to spend going forward.

Walker shouldn't leave St. Louis anytime soon, and this extension rumor coming into play is one that the Cardinals need to act upon ASAP; otherwise, the price tag for Walker is only going to increase.

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