ST. LOUIS – Quite possibly the only player happy about Busch Stadium broiling under steamy, 88-degree temperatures on Tuesday was Cardinals' slugger Alec Burleson, a hitter whose production tends to rise as temperatures skyrocket throughout summers in St. Louis.

“When it gets about 100 degrees here that’s when it seems to be that I turn it on with the bat,” said Burleson, who was recently discussing another slow start to his season. “I’m still working, but I feel like every April we have this conversation. I am trying to shorten up this April, but I’m just going to continue to work and try and find something.”

Burleson, a first-time Silver Slugger award winner in 2025 following his best season as a big leaguer, is understandably dismayed that he is off to yet another slow start, especially considering the momentum he built with the way he ended the past two seasons. Another factor contributing to Burleson’s frustration over his slow start to the 2026 season: With veterans Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras gone following offseason trades, Burleson’s bat is often a barometer to how much production the youth-filled Cardinals lineup produces from night to night.

Burleson, 27, started the season strong by racking up three hits and delivering a towering two-run homer that allowed the Cards to come from behind to beat the Rays on Opening Day at Busch Stadium. And over his first five games of March, Burleson hit .353 (6 for 17) with five RBI, four walks and just one strikeout.

Then, the dreaded month of April hit and Burleson’s production took another nosedive.

Burleson went into Tuesday night’s game against the Guardians hitting just .238 (10 for 42) with two doubles, a homer, seven RBI and seven walks with the winds howling in April. Not surprisingly, six of the 11 games so far this month were played in frigid temperatures in Detroit and Washington, D.C. – conditions that the North Carolina native tends to struggle in.

Tepid Aprils have put a damper on Burleson’s season starts at the MLB level so far in his career. In 2023, when he was an extra outfielder and his playing time was sporadic, Burleson hit just .230 with three homers over 23 games in April.

In 2024 – his breakout season as a big-league slugger and one that ended with career highs in homers (21) and RBI (78) – his start was still tepid. In 24 games in March and April of 2024, Burleson hit .272 with just two homers. In 2025 – a season when he led the Cardinals in several major offensive categories – he batted just .258 with no homers in his first 27 games of March and April.

Clearly, those April showers have turned into May flowers in the terms of home runs and extra base hits. However, he is unsure why he’s struggled so often to start seasons.

“They’ve all kind of been different,” said Burleson, who has spent much of the past week battling a nasty head cold. “Early on in my career, I wasn’t playing every day and my first April in the big leagues was eye-opening and I was like, ‘Holy crap, I’m playing in the big leagues!’ Then, the last couple of years, (the coaching staff) was doing what they thought was best for the team and I wasn’t starting against lefties, so there was more inconsistency there. This year, it is what it is. So, they’ve all been kind of different, but I’m still working to try and get it figured out.”

Burleson looked to have it all figured out on Sunday when he mashed a 430-foot home run off Boston’s Zack Kelly – his first long ball since his 430-foot smash on Opening Day. Not only did the most recent baseball leave his bat at 111.6 mph for the hardest-hit ball of his career, but it was the 50th home run of Burleson’s young MLB career.

For a second at least, Burleson forgot about his April struggles and enjoyed the landmark home run for his career.

“The last couple of nights I hadn’t felt great, but I knew I was going to get a cutter there and I wanted to put a good swing on it,” said Burleson, whose 2025 Silver Slugger award was from the utility position after he split time between the outfield and first base last season. “I was kind of aware that I was close (to the 50-homer plateau), but I didn’t know that was the one until later. But, yeah, that’s a pretty cool milestone. I’m just super grateful to have the opportunity to do that.

“But I don’t really think I’ve found anything (with his swing) just yet. If they throw a pitch in my hot zone, I’m going to hit it hard whether it’s a good swing or not. So, I’m still working and trying to shorten up this April for myself.”                

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