The Cardinals are likely going to move several players this offseason, but Alec Burleson reportedly won't be one of them.
According to a new report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals are unlikely to trade Silver Slugger winner Alec Burleson this offseason, despite their impending firesale and ongoing rebuild.
Teams continue to ask the St. Louis Cardinals about left-handed hitters Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar, not to mention Alec Burleson, who is unlikely to move. In a market short on quality right-handed hitters, first baseman Willson Contreras figures to be popular, too.
That's a bit of good news for Cardinals fans who are hoping to see the team remain competitive, even as Chaim Bloom works to engineer a rebuild. The Cardinals already traded Sonny Gray this offseason to the Boston Red Sox.
About Burleson
A 27-year-old North Carolina native, he was drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft out of East Carolina. A four-year veteran of the Cardinals, his career has taken off in each of the last two years, as he hit 21 homers in 2024 and popped 18 more in 2025. He also had 69 RBIs, a .290 average and a .343 on-base percentage.
He won the Silver Slugger Award at the utility position in 2025, posting a 125 OPS+.
Burleson played 50 games at first base, 41 in left field, 34 in right field and 22 at designated hitter.
Why would the Cardinals keep him?
The Cardinals are willing to move just about everyone else on the roster, so why are they drawing the line at Burleson?
Probably a few reasons.
First and foremost, he's under team control for three more seasons. There is a chance that the team's rebuild could be turning the corner by 2028, so he could have a chance to be a part of the next solid Cardinals team, as opposed to players like Arenado, Nootbaar or Donovan, who have only two years of team control remaining.
Furthermore, the Cardinals probably think there's more room for growth, which could make him an even more desirable commodity in the future. For instance, if he crosses the 25-homer threshold, or hits the 85-RBI mark, they may find a better offer next offseason.
Other news to note
The MLB's Draft Lottery is Tuesday night at 4:30 p.m. CT. The Cardinals have a 2.35 percent chance of earning the No. 1 pick, and while that sounds slim, the Cleveland Guardians had just a two percent chance when they got the No. 1 pick in 2024. The draft lottery will air on MLB Network and we'll have a full recap at Cardinals Roundtable.
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