Cardinals rookie second baseman walks it off as St. Louis starts 2-0

The start to the season could not feel much better for the St. Louis Cardinals, and it is hard to ignore who is right in the middle of it. JJ Wetherholt has played exactly two major league games. He already has a home run and a walk-off hit.

That is not just a hot start. That is the kind of opening that gets people paying attention quickly. One game after hitting a home run in his MLB debut, Wetherholt delivered a two-run walk-off single in the 10th inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5. It pushed the Cardinals to a 2-0 start and gave Busch Stadium its first real moment of the season.

THAT'S A WINNER!!! pic.twitter.com/bvKeKK4TTo

This is not just a flash moment

Wetherholt went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and both came on the final swing. The situation was not simple. The Cardinals had just watched a 4-0 lead disappear in the ninth inning. What felt comfortable suddenly felt shaky. That is where things can speed up for a rookie.

It did not for him.

He stayed within himself, put a good swing on the ball, and sent it to right field to bring two runners home. Game over.

That is the part that stands out. Not just the result, but how calm it looked.

More: 25-year old hurler throws six no-hit innings in dominant Cardinals performance

Cardinals are 2-0 and already seeing something real

It is early, but this is exactly the type of start the Cardinals were hoping for. Wetherholt came into the league known for his approach at the plate. He does not chase much. He puts the ball in play. He understands situations.

Those things tend to show up right away when a player is ready.

You can see it already.

The Cardinals also got a strong outing from Michael McGreevy earlier in the game, which helped put them in position to win. But when things got tight late, it was the rookie who finished it.

Two games into the season, the Cardinals are 2-0.

Two games into his career, Wetherholt already feels like part of the story.

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