Burleson Open to Extension Talks After Career Year in St. Louis
The short version
- Alec Burleson led the Cardinals with 165 hits, 111 RBIs, a .280 average and an .808 OPS in 2026.
- He is arbitration-eligible for the second time and settled at $3.3 million for 2026.
- Burleson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he is open to a long-term contract with St. Louis.
- He could become the first Cardinal to lead the majors in RBIs since Joe Torre in 1971.
- St. Louis missed the playoffs again but saw breakouts from Burleson, Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt and Joshua Baez.
The Cardinals' 27-year-old slugger says he is willing to listen as his second arbitration season approaches following a breakout campaign.
For the second straight year, the St. Louis Cardinals have reached season's end without a place in the playoffs, prolonging a rough run for a franchise with one of the richest histories in Major League Baseball. Even so, the club's supporters have cause for encouragement heading into the winter.
Much of that optimism centers on a group of younger players who took significant steps forward in 2026. Joey Schneider of FOX 2 News noted that the arrivals of prospects JJ Wetherholt and Joshua Baez, paired with strong seasons from Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker, gave fans additional incentive to attend games and built some forward momentum for the organization.
Nobody embodied that progress more than Burleson, who established himself among the most productive hitters in the St. Louis lineup. Across the season, he paced the Cardinals with 165 hits and 111 runs batted in, finishing with a .280 average and an .808 OPS. His RBI total leaves him in line to claim the National League's overall crown in the category.
Those numbers could also carry historical weight. Should Burleson finish with the majors' top RBI figure, he would become the first Cardinal to do so since Joe Torre in 1971.
The performance sets up a notable decision for the front office this winter. At 27, Burleson is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility and stands to see a substantial raise for 2027 unless the club locks him up beforehand. Before the 2026 campaign, St. Louis settled with him at $3.3 million to sidestep an arbitration hearing, and the team must now weigh whether to keep going year to year or pursue a multiyear commitment.
Speaking to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, Burleson signaled he would welcome discussions on a lengthier deal. "I'm open to it, and I'll be all ears if they want to come to me and try and see what happens," he said. He added that both he and his family enjoy St. Louis and believe the team's direction offers "an opportunity to do a lot of fun things in the near future."
Goold also detailed the breadth of Burleson's season, reporting career bests in home runs (23), batting average (.280), on-base percentage (.345), slugging (.463), OPS (.808) and doubles (37). Per Goold, Burleson has developed into the centerpiece of a young Cardinals lineup and will bring those credentials into negotiations over his 2027 salary.
For viewers wanting to see the Cardinals in person or on screen, their next contest comes Friday, September 25, when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. First pitch is set for 7:40 PM EDT, with coverage available on MLB.TV, Brewers.TV and Cardinals.TV.
