a .210 batting average, .280 OBP, .333 SLG, and ten home runs. 2015 season During the 2014–15 offseason, Gyorko worked to regain the muscle he lost during the previous offseason. With Matt Kemp and Justin Upton added to the Padres' lineup, Black hoped to reduce the pressure on Gyorko to perform. By late April, with Gyorko off to a 7-for-47 (.147) start to the season, he began to lose playing time to Yangervis Solarte, and to Cory Spangenberg in May and June as he continued to struggle. On June 10, after hitting .210 with two home runs in 46 games, the Padres demoted Gyorko to the El Paso Chihuahuas of the PCL. Gyorko hit .279 with four home runs in 16 games, before the Padres recalled him on June 30. Gyorko made his first appearance at shortstop as a professional on August 17, and continued to play shortstop throughout the remainder of the season. Gyorko finished the season with a .247 batting average and 16 home runs in 128 games. St. Louis Cardinals On December 8, 2015, the Padres traded Gyorko to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Jon Jay, while also agreeing to pay $7.5 million towards the remaining $33 million guaranteed by Gyorko's contract. The Cardinals intended to use Gyorko as a backup for second baseman Kolten Wong, third baseman Matt Carpenter, and shortstop Jhonny Peralta. He opened the season as the Cardinals' starting shortstop due to an injury to Peralta. While playing the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 5, he hit his first home run for the Cardinals. Due to the emergence of Aledmys Díaz at shortstop and Wong's struggles, Gyorko received most of his playing time at second base. In his first five games against the Padres, Gyorko homered in each game, totaling six, and also had 13 hits in 21 at bats with 10 RBIs. He reached 30 home runs for the first time on October 1, 2016, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, also a game-winning hit. In 2017, the Cardinals shifted Carpenter to first base, with Peralta and Gyorko playing third base. Gyorko became the Cardinals' regular third baseman after the Cardinals designated Peralta. Gyorko hit 13 home runs in the first half of the season, but only six after the All-Star break. He finished the year batting .272 with twenty home runs and 67 RBIs in 125 games. Despite two stints on the disabled