St. Louis Cardinals fans celebrate as Jordan Walker ties rookie hit streak record: "Such an impressive player already" "Amazing to see"
St. Louis Cardinals rookie outfielder Jordan Walker tied a long-standing MLB record in Wednesday's win at the Colorado Rockies.
Walker tied Eddie Murphy's 111-year old record for the longest hit streak to start a career by a player aged 20 or younger by snagging a ninth-inning single to give him a hit in 12 straight games to start the season.
The 20-year-old left it until his final at-bat to tie the record after going hitless in his first three at-bats.
Walker – the No. 4-ranked prospect in all of MLB coming into this season – hasn't yet displayed the prodigious power that Cardinals fans are salivating for. But by consistently getting on base day-in and day-out, he is showing he belongs at the big league level.
Jordan Walker has now tied Eddie Murphy (1912) for the longest hit streak (12) to start a career by a player 20 or younger. https://t.co/kOTjdmUxbI
It's been 111 years since a rookie 20 years or younger opened their career with a hit in 12 consecutive games.
Welcome to the history books, Jordan Walker! https://t.co/wl3xMNJvsM
Up next for Jordan Walker is a shot at breaking Murphy's record when the St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.
If Walker is able to break Murphy's mark on Thursday, then the record for a hit streak by a rookie to start his career is in sight. That mark of 17 games is owned by two players: Chuck Aleno of the 1941 Cincinnati Reds and David Dahl of the 2016 Rockies.
@MLB Such an impressive player already
@Cardinals https://t.co/IuhobADBnU
@Cardinals I’ve never bought a players jersey but I’m gonna get his
No, it's not that Eddie Murphy. The Eddie Murphy in question set the record 49 years before the comedian was born as a member of the 1912 Philadelphia Athletics — the organization that eventually became the Oakland A's we know today.
Murphy was a catcher with Philadelphia who hit .317 in 33 games in 1912 en route to an 11-year MLB career.
@MLB Eddie Murphy is proud. https://t.co/DheGZP1nuu
@MLB Didn’t know Eddie Murphy was so multi talented
@MLB Bro tied this guy https://t.co/uJqcbsVFeG
Jordan Walker, an imposing power-hitting prospect, comes with the promise of adding many more homers to the already juiced heart of the St. Louis Cardinals lineup. He hit 33 home runs in 201 minor league games over the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Cardinals fans are expecting big things – and big blasts – from the team's first-round draft selection in 2020. But for now, the record-tying hit streak is enough.
@Cardinals I’m thoroughly enjoying watching this young man. Go, Jordan!
@Cardinals Most consistent player on the team and hits every game. #fact
@MLB Wacky thing with baseball if you have guys setting records like this. Walker, trout, Ohtani. And that doesn’t necessarily translate to wins. Still amazing to see though
Of course, Jordan Walker plays for the St. Louis Cardinals — a team with a chronically unsatisfied fanbase for which some will find that simply tying a 111-year-old record just isn't good enough. Why just get one hit every game when you could be just as easily getting two or three every game?
@Cardinals Wish he would get more than 1 hit a game though, he definitely needs to start getting 2-3 hits instead of just going 1-4 all the time, I love the streak though and he might get more hits on 2 spot, put pressure on pitchers to pitch to him more
Jordan Walker fitting in well with Cardinals
Walker is settling in well over the first two weeks of his big league career. In 12 games with the Cardinals, he is hitting .319 with 14 hits and eight RBIs.