Cardinals' rookie JJ Wetherholt learning meaning of being 'Busch'd' in rookie season

JJ Wetherholt's MLB career got off to an incredibly strong start at Busch Stadium, with him homering in his first career home game and producing a game-inning single in the second game. Also, the 23-year-old rookie's first-ever multi-homer game at the big-league level came at Busch Stadium on April 14 against the Guardians.

However, the standout rookie's production has fallen off dramatically at home this season. Through the years, Cardinals players have expressed their frustrations over the difficulty of driving balls out of their home ballpark and often referring to it as 'Busch'd' when balls routinely get knocked down by St. Louis' thick, humid air in the summer months.

Wetherholt, who is trying to become the first Cardinals player to win the National League Rookie of the Year award since Albert Pujols did so in 2001, is slashing .245/.348/.376/.724 this season with 14 doubles, 17 homers, 48 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 15 tries. However, those numbers dip to .230/.314/.328/.642 with just three doubles, seven homers and 17 RBI in the 63 games that Wetherholt has played at Busch Stadium this season.

If Wetherholt ends up failing to win the Rookie of the Year award, it will likely be because of his struggles at notoriously tough Busch Stadium. His .642 OPS at Busch Stadium is the worst in MLB among players with at least 250 at bats at home this season. He leads Vladimir Guerrero (.647), Zach Neto (.647), Alex Bregman (.651), Chandler Simpson (.666), Bo Bichette (.667), Gunnar Henderson (.683), Josh Naylor (.683) and Geraldo Perdomo (.683).

The numbers could prove significant considering that Wetherholt -- the No. 7 pick of the 2024 MLB Draft -- signed an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension on July 10. The contract, which includes no opt-out clauses for either side, could be worth as much as $132 million if Wetherholt hits incentives in the deal. 

Wetherholt's top competition for the NL top rookie award is Cincinnati's Sal Stewart, who leads MLB in RBI (100) and has hit 28 home runs to go with 24 doubles. Playing 65 games in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park has aided Stewart, who has 14 homers, 15 doubles and 48 RBI in his home ballpark.

As for Wetherholt, he homered in three times in his first 11 games at Busch Stadium and had had five long balls in his first 15 games played in St. Louis. However, he then went from April 26 to May 19 before hitting his sixth homer at home. Incredibly, he went nearly 2 1/2 months -- from May 19 to July 30 -- without homering in his home ballpark. Since hitting a long ball against the rival Cubs on July 30, Wetherholt heads into Thursday's matinee against the Orioles riding an eight-game homerless streak at Busch Stadium.