Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Monday that Walker was playing through some hip pain and other discomfort late in the season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The lingering hip issue could at least partly explain Walker's fade in September, as he slashed just .172/.232/.287 in the final month. The good news is the Cardinals do not expect the injury to linger into the offseason, as Walker has simply been prescribed rest. It was a breakout 2026 campaign for the 24-year-old outfielder, with Walker sporting a .269/.327/.466 batting line with 29 home runs, 102 RBI and 22 stolen bases.