JUSTIN WILLIAMS NEWS

Mets beat Cardinals 7-2 for split after 4-1 loss in opener

Tomás Nido hit a two-run homer and Jonathan Villar added a solo shot and an RBI single, powering the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 for a doubleheader split

MAY 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sits in third straight Williams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Impact Harrison Bader's return from the 10-day injured list Thursday has resulted in Williams' run of regular playing time coming to an end. Williams will be on the bench for a third straight game to close out the weekend, and he looks like he'll be relegated to a fourth-outfielder role moving forward.

MAY 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Wheeler takes 1-hitter into 9th as Phillies deck Cards 2-1

Zack Wheeler took a one-hit shutout into the ninth inning and Rhys Hoskins homered twice as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1

APRIL 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Molina HR, double before exit with sore foot, Cards top Reds

Yadier Molina homered and doubled before leaving because of a sore foot, and the St. Louis Cardinals sent the Cincinnati Reds to their fifth straight loss, 5-4

APRIL 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scherzer's 9 K's, Avila RBI double lift Nats past Cards 1-0

Max Scherzer struck out nine in six scoreless innings to move up to No. 21 on the career K's leaderboard, and Alex Avila drove in the game’s lone run with one of his two doubles, h...

APRIL 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Smacks second homer Williams went 2-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Monday's 12-5 win over the Nationals.

Impact His fifth-inning blast was one of five homers by the Cards on the night -- and the only one not hit off Joe Ross. Williams is getting consistent playing time with Tyler O'Neill (groin) and Harrison Bader (forearm) on the shelf, and he's been thriving, going 7-for-21 (.333) over the last seven games with his first two career homers, four runs and six RBI. O'Neill could be back as soon as this weekend, but Williams is making a strong case to remain in the lineup.

APRIL 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

DeJong hits 2 of Cardinals' 5 HRs in 12-5 win at Nationals

Paul DeJong hit two of the St. Louis Cardinals’ five homers in a 12-5 victory at the Washington Nationals

APRIL 20, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Molina homers twice to lead Cardinals past Phillies 9-4

Yadier Molina hit two home runs, doubled and drove in four, and Nolan Arenado and Paul DeJong also homered in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 9-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies

APRIL 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hits first career home run Williams went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Friday's loss to the Phillies.

Impact Williams has served as the starting left fielder in each of the past four games with Tyler O'Neill (groin) and Harrison Bader (forearm) sidelined. He put the Cardinals on the board in the eighth inning of Friday's contest with a two-run blast, which was the first home run of his career. The 25-year-old should continue to see increased time in the starting lineup while O'Neill and Bader remain out.

APRIL 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Eflin pitches into 8th, Phillies beat Cardinals 9-2

Zach Eflin pitched into the eighth inning, J

APRIL 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drives in three Williams went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run scored and one walk in Tuesday's win over the Nationals.

Impact Williams has earned inconsistent playing time early on this season, but will need to be relied upon more in the absence of both Tyler O'Neill (groin) and Harrison Bader (forearm). He delivered Tuesday, recording his first multi-hit game of the season and also driving in his first runs of the campaign. Though Williams started the season 0-for-10 at the plate, he's since collected at least one hit in four of his six appearances and has improved his on-base percentage to .321.

APRIL 14, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

To help during O'Neill's absence Williams is expected to split playing time with Austin Dean in left field during Tyler O'Neill's (groin) stint on the injured list, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Impact Williams started Monday's game against the Nationals in left field for the first time this season after making his other seven appearances in right field. The 25-year-old entered Monday's start with a .111/.200/.111 line and seven strikeouts across 20 plate appearances, however, so he'll naturally have to boost his production at the plate to continue seeing an appreciable amount of playing time in that split with Dean.

APRIL 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

García HR, 5 RBIs; Brewers end Cards' 4-game win streak, 9-5

Avisaíl García homered, doubled and drove in five runs as the Milwaukee Brewers beat St. Louis 9-5 and ended the Cardinals’ four-game winning streak

APRIL 10, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Molina HR, Carlson slam lead Cards over Marlins 7-0 & sweep

Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer and Dylan Carlson added a grand slam, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over Miami 7-0 for a three-game sweep that dropped the Marlins to 1-5 for th...

APRIL 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Benched again Williams is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Impact Williams is on the bench for a second straight day against a right-handed pitcher, signaling that he may have surrendered his strong-side platoon role in right field following an 0-for-10 start to the season. Tommy Edman will shift from second base to right field, opening up the keystone for Matt Carpenter for the second game in a row.

APRIL 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting versus righty Williams is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Impact After sitting out against lefty Trevor Rogers in Monday's series opener, Williams will now remain on the bench against a right-hander (Sandy Alcantara) on Tuesday. The Cardinals won't have usual platoon mate Austin Dean replace Williams in right field; instead, Tommy Edman will get a turn in the outfield to open up a start at second base for Matt Carpenter.

APRIL 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Takes seat Monday Williams is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Impact With a lefty (Trevor Rogers) on the bump for Miami, Williams will take a seat in favor of platoon mate Austin Dean. Williams went hitless with five strikeouts in nine at-bats while starting all three games of the Cardinals' season-opening series in Cincinnati.

APRIL 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Hitless in opener Williams went 0-for-4 while starting in right field and batting eighth Thursday against the Reds.

Impact Williams made both the roster and starting lineup to begin the season with Harrison Bader (forearm) sidelined. He figures to start regularly against right-handed pitching early on, but could lose playing time to Austin Dean or John Nogowski if he fails to produce.

APRIL 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Goldschmidt, Arenado deliver, Cards open fast, top Reds 11-6

Paul Goldschmidt and newcomer Nolan Arenado combined for six hits in a boosted St. Louis lineup, and the Cardinals roughed up Luis Castillo for six runs in the first inning to beat...

APRIL 2, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cards to send Miklos, Hudson, Bader to IL to start season

The St. Louis Cardinals plan to start the season Thursday in Cincinnati with pitchers Kwang Hyun Kim, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas on the injured list along with outfielder Harr...

MARCH 29, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chances for roster spot increase Williams, who got off to a very slow start at the plate this spring, has seen his chances of sticking on the Opening Day roster increase due to both his play and the recent forearm...

Impact The 25-year-old has been lauded for putting very good wood on the ball as spring has gone on, with Williams boosting his exhibition average to .286 on Wednesday against the Mets courtesy of a two-run single in his only plate appearance. The outfielder's left-handed bat also works in his favor, considering the Cardinals are seeking more hitting depth from that side of the plate. Bader's injury, which currently projects to keep him out until at least late April, also gives Williams a potential inside track to opening the season as the starting right fielder, despite the additional flexibility the team gained when an arbiter determined he'll have a fourth minor-league option for 2021.

MARCH 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Granted fourth option year Williams will have a fourth minor-league option for 2021, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact Williams and the Cardinals initially weren't sure whether the 25-year-old would have a minor-league option for 2021. However, St. Louis will have more flexibility with Williams this year, as an arbitrator granted the outfielder an extra option after he spent most of the 2020 season at the Cardinals' alternate training site. Even with his additional option, Williams should compete for the starting job in right field to begin the season with Harrison Bader (forearm) out at least four weeks.

MARCH 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Scuffling at plate early Williams, who's battling for a reserve outfield spot in spring training, is hitting just .091 (1-for-11) with an RBI and a walk across his first five Grapefruit League games.

Impact The 25-year-old has plenty of talented competition for a spot in the outfield rotation, as fellow prospects Dylan Carlson and Lane Thomas are considered to be ahead of him in terms of their chances of sticking on the Opening Day roster. Williams went 1-for-5 across his first three games of big-league action in a Cardinals uniform in 2020, but his spectacular .353/.437/.608 slash line across 119 plate appearances at Triple-A Memphis in 2019 and several other strong minor-league seasons at the plate while with the Rays organization render him an intriguing prospect the Cardinals appear willing to give a long look to this spring.

MARCH 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Cardinals activate Fowler, Gallegos from injured list for KC

The St. Louis Cardinals activated outfielder Dexter Fowler and right-hander Giovanny Gallegos from the injured list in a series of roster moves before starting their three-game ser...

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sent down by Cardinals Williams was optioned to the Cardinals' alternate training site Monday.

Impact Williams spent just under a week on the major-league roster as outfield depth, and he went 1-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts while appearing in three games. Dexter Fowler was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list and should serve as the starting right fielder going forward.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE