Jj Wetherholt Homers in 5-4 Loss, Ends 18-Game Drought

jj wetherholt ended his 18-game homer drought Sunday, going 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored in the Cardinals' 5-4 loss to the Twins. The rookie second baseman still left the game with the kind of line that keeps him in view: 10 homers, 31 RBI and 45 runs scored through 65 games.

Wetherholt’s 2-for-5 night

He supplied the Cardinals' biggest swing of the day with the homer and added three runs batted in, while striking out once. The final line was his most complete offensive game in the loss, and it came in the middle of an 18-game stretch without a long ball.

That drought ended at 18 games, but the production did not stop with one swing. Wetherholt reached base twice in five trips and accounted for nearly all of St. Louis' run production in a one-run game that slipped away by the end.

Cardinals rookie production

Through 65 games, Wetherholt was slashing.255/.359/.402 with seven steals and a.341 wOBA. Those totals show why the homer mattered beyond the box score: the power numbers climbed to 10, and the run production reached 31 RBI and 45 runs scored.

He also led all rookies in fWAR and runs scored, which gives the Sunday output more weight than a single at-bat. The home run fit a season that has already placed him among the most productive first-year bats in the league, even with the slump that preceded it.

Twins hold 5-4 edge

The loss left the Cardinals without the result they needed, but Wetherholt’s line gave them the most direct offensive takeaway from the day. A rookie who had gone 18 games without a homer broke through while still adding the kind of all-around numbers that keep his season on the rookie-leader board.