The Route 66 rivalry was supposed to be electric, and Saturday was no exception. More than 40k fans flocked to Busch Stadium to witness the Midwest battle between the Cubs and Cardinals. For the Cardinals’ top prospect, JJ Wetherholt, Saturday was the first taste of the rivalry that spanned over 140 years. He managed 3 hits despite the fans booing as the Cardinals lost. Surprisingly, though, the booing crowd gets credited for making his first-time experience memorable.

“You know what, the crowd’s there and how engaged everybody is, kind of just each moment feels intense, and we’re just trying to play better baseball. So you know, they played really well tonight. We just gotta find a way to bounce back in the series, but yeah, here in the crowd,” Matrixmidwest reporter, Jacob Cersosimo, quoted Wetherholt. “Engaged and just kind of, you know, the boos, the hollering…it’s cool to be a part of.”

Fans and Pete Crow-Armstrong had the best moments on Saturday at Busch Stadium. According to Cersosimo, a total of 40,147 fans entered Busch Stadium, and the atmosphere was expectedly electric. The Busch Stadium crowd tried to get to the skin of the Cubs, but the Cardinals eventually lost the game 1-6.

Still, Wetherholt came out as the breakout star for the Cardinals. The score remained 0-0 till the 3rd until Wetherholt singled to center in the bottom of the 4th inning. He covered second base off a groundout by Ivan Herrera and scored the first run as Alec Burlson hit a single to right field. The Cardinals’ only run from the day named after their top prospect, and this takes his 2026 average to .244. His homer tally stands at 9.

However, despite Wetherholt crediting the fans for the intense atmosphere, things were about to get worse, especially when the Crow-Armstrong was at the plate.

A rowdy, shirtless fan movement called “Tarps Off” has been taking over sections of Busch Stadium. The shirtless groups have brought college football and soccer-style energy to the stadium, leading loud chants and songs that have provided the Cardinals with a massive late-inning boost. The Cubs were also targeted, and “overrated” chants were made with Crow-Armstrong at the plate.

Result? He hit a home run right to them in the right field seats. The Cardinals fans were left miffed, and the home run ball was immediately thrown back to the field. “Interesting theme for the year, but they’re rowdy, and they’re showing up, like they’re buying into something, so I can appreciate it. We love playing against the Cardinals too, like in division rivals, always fun,” PCA said after the game.

The game ended on a friendly note, but the Cardinals just got their future superstar in the form of JJ Wetherholt.

The Cardinals should keep Wetherholt retained

Wetherholt is the breakout star of the Cardinals in 2026. Beyond his average and homers, his stats prove his dominance even over the Pirates’ Konnor Griffin.

“If the season were to end today, JJ Wetherholt would have to be the unanimous pick for National League Rookie of the Year,” Justbaseballmedia shared via Instagram. The Cardinals’ top prospect already recorded 2.5 Baseball Reference WAR and an OPS+ of 115. “Griffin has the most upside, but Wetherholt right now, as we stand here today, is a better baseball player,” Just Baseball Media’s Peter Appel said.

Wetherholt boasts a robust .356 On-Base Percentage, noticeably outpacing Griffin’s .327 OBP. So, with such numbers, the Cardinals should invest in Wetherholt. He is turning 24 this year, and the Cardinals have team control over him till 2031. Thus, Wetherholt will be with the Cardinals by his age 29. If the team still extends him, that will cover a few more years in his thirties.

However, considering the starting figures, the Cardinals would surely not love to lose Wetherholt. They shouldn’t repeat the mistake they made with Sandy Alcantara back in 2017.