Even if the St. Louis Cardinals (66-63) fall short of securing the final National League Wild Card spot this season, the franchise appears to have a promising future. That outlook, however, could have looked far less encouraging if the organization had decided to trade Alec Burleson before the MLB deadline.
The standout first baseman takes pride in the role he has played in the Cardinals’ progress during the 2026 season and hopes to remain part of the team’s next chapter.
“Obviously, we’re building toward something that is gonna look really good in the next couple years, and I would like to think I’ve been a small part of that,” Burleson told the “Foul Territory” podcast on Friday. “On the off chance {that I was traded at the deadline}, it would have kind of hurt a little bit. Just to leave that, and leave what little bit I’ve contributed to what it’s gonna look like in the next few years.”
St. Louis did make several moves at the deadline, trading outfielder Lars Nootbaar, right-handed starter Dustin May and left-handed reliever JoJo Romero. Burleson, though, remained with the club—and the decision makes plenty of sense.
The 2025 Silver Slugger Award winner has developed into one of the Cardinals’ most productive hitters and is not scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2028 season. While enjoying another strong August, Burleson is batting .288 with 21 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .355 on-base percentage, .489 slugging percentage and an .844 OPS. He also leads MLB with 33 doubles.
Burleson has become a popular cornerstone for a franchise looking to build toward sustained success, and Cardinals fans would undoubtedly like to see him remain in St. Louis for years to come. The feeling is clearly mutual.
“I love St. Louis, the fans, the staff and the players… it’s very comfortable, feels like home,” the North Carolina native said. “I’m not sure what it’s gonna look like in the next few years, but I would definitely like to be around for it and contribute to a lot of winning baseball in St. Louis.”
Coming off one of their wildest victories of the season, Burleson and the Cardinals will now turn their attention to a pivotal road series against the Philadelphia Phillies (70-58), beginning Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.