JJ Wetherholt is building a real NL Rookie of the Year case
The rookie led St. Louis to yet another win on Tuesday night.
JJ Wetherholt is building a real NL Rookie of the Year case originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . It is still early in the 2026 MLB season, but JJ Wetherholt is beginning to look more and more like a legitimate National League Rookie of the Year contender.
The St. Louis Cardinals rookie added another big moment Tuesday night, blasting a two-run homer in a 6-4 win over the Athletics . The sixth-inning shot gave St.
Louis critical insurance runs and continued what has become a very productive stretch for one of baseball’s top young infielders. Wetherholt now has eight home runs, 22 RBI, 32 runs scored and a . 783 OPS through his first 41 major league games.
Those numbers may not immediately jump off the page compared to some established stars around baseball, but for a rookie adjusting to everyday MLB pitching, they are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Especially when paired with how quickly Wetherholt has settled into an important role for a winning Cardinals team. JJ Wetherholt’s recent surge is changing the conversation The biggest reason Wetherholt’s Rookie of the Year chances are gaining traction is simple: the power is starting to show up consistently.