Undoubtedly, JJ Wetherholt was one of MLB’s biggest snubs for the All-Star Game, but the Cardinals might be about to reap the benefits of the rising rookie getting some much-needed time off over a four-day period.

Refreshed and ready for the first second half of his MLB career, Wetherholt launched a tiebreaking, 402-foot home run in the fifth inning and had a big single in a ninth-inning rally as the Cardinals beat the Dbacks 5-4 in the first game after the break for the All-Star Game on Friday night.

"I feel like we play together and we have guys who play for one another, just like Ivan (Herrera) shortening up with two strikes and putting the ball in play and doing a job," defensive star Masyn Winn said of Herrera's game-winning sacrifice fly in the ninth after Wetherholt had loaded the bases with a single. "That's just what this team does -- we pass the baton to the next guy."

INCLEMENT WETHERHOLT 🤘 pic.twitter.com/2G87XA3mrP

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 18, 2026

All-Star reliever Riley O'Brien walked former Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado to open the ninth inning. However, he made up for it by picking pinch-runner Jorge Barrosa off first base. That pickoff loomed even larger when Tim Tawa doubled with two outs. O'Brien, who struck out Ketel Marte with a 100-mph sinker to end the game, notched his 25th save in 29 tries. 

Shortstop Masyn Winn drove in three runs – two on a single in the first inning and another in the eighth on a sacrifice fly – and made two stellar defensive plays to prevent runs. In the sixth inning, with Gabriel Moreno on third, Winn dove into the hole and threw onto first on a hop to rob Arenado of a potential run-scoring hit.

Wetherholt, one of MLB’s leaders in WAR and Outs Above Average all season, was passed over for the MLB All-Star Game even though he is the leading candidate to become the first Cardinal to win the National League Rookie of the Year award since Albert Pujols in 2001. Wetherholt was ready when Merrill Kelly left a four-seam fastball over the plate and he mashed a no-doubter of a home run over the right field wall to break a 2-2 tie. Wetherholt’s 14th homer of the season – and his first since July 4 at Wrigley Field – left the bat at 104.5 mph.

In the top of the ninth, Wetherholt battled after falling into a 1-2 hole and singled to center to load the bases against close Paul Sewald. Wetherholt reached after Jose Fermin singled on the infield and Jimmy Crooks walked to set the stage for Herrera, who drilled a two-strike sacrifice fly to left field to put the Cardinals back into the lead.

Cards missing lefty JoJo Romero already

Forced to try and find new ways to get left-handed hitters out with JoJo Romero on the 15-day Injured List because of an appendicitis, the Cardinals turned to rookie reliever Luis Gastelum in the eighth inning of a 4-2 game. Gastelum walked following a successful challenge and All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll launched a center-cut changeup down the right field line that hit off the screen of the foul pole for a game-tying, two-run home run.

Gastelum ended up getting the first MLB win of his MLB career. 

Scoring runs the old fashioned way 💥 pic.twitter.com/T8fafOUqUH

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 18, 2026

Michael McGreevy tied All-Star starter Cristopher Sanchez with his NL-best 13th outing where he went at least six innings and surrendered two earned runs or fewer. On this night, McGreevy pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed just six hits and two earned runs to Arizona. He struck out five – the last two looking when he surprised Lourdes Gurriel and Arenado with four-seam fastballs.

McGreevy allowed a one-out triple to Ildemaro Vargas in the seventh inning, but he got a big boost from reliever George Soriano, who got Tim Tawa to ground out on the infield and Ketel Marte to strikeout on the third changeup of the at bat.              

Jordan Walker, who was given a loud ovation in his first at bat by Dbacks and Cardinals fans for his effort in winning last Monday’s Home Run Derby, walked in the first inning and beat out an infield single in the sixth inning.  

Join the conversation

Remember to join our CARDINALS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other CARDINALS fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!