As Cardinals evaluate runway season, Alec Burleson has slugged his way into more playing time

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ST. LOUIS — Throughout the first month of the season, Alec Burleson could often be found sitting in front of his locker in the back corner of the Cardinals clubhouse. On this particular April afternoon, Burleson sat with his feet propped up on a chair, fiddling with a bat he wouldn’t need later.

Again, Burleson was not in the starting lineup.

This did not come as a surprise to the 26-year-old. Manager Oli Marmol had communicated with him before the season that specific players had been identified by the organization to see the most playing time — regardless of on-field results. Such is the nature of a runway season, the skipper explained, and while Burleson’s 2024 stat line was much better than a vast majority of his teammates, he would be relegated as a bench player to start the year.

In prior years, this was not a situation Burleson would’ve handled well, he admitted. But he decided to approach this season from a wider view.

“These things tend to work themselves out in time,” he said with a shrug and a smile.

That they do.

Burleson slugged his ninth homer of the season — one of four two-run homers mashed by the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night — en route to an 8-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. His OPS on the season is up to a team-leading .818. His .474 slugging percentage is also a team-high, and his .344 on-base percentage ranks second only to Brendan Donovan. His torrid last two months (Burleson hit .303 in May and is hitting .364 in June) have resulted in incrementally increased playing time.

Now, Marmol is at a point where he can’t justify taking Burleson’s bat out of the lineup — especially as the Cardinals (43-36) continue to prove they could be contenders this year.

All season, the Cardinals have tried to balance runway with results. What about extending runway to the players providing results?

That’s the conversation Burleson’s play has forced the organization to have,

“I think we’ve balanced (playing time) well up to this point,” Marmol said. “(But) you have to reward guys that have run with it.

“It’s not a 50-50 balance, in my opinion,” he added. “I think you have to start tilting and leaning towards guys that are performing play. You need to reward guys that are actually taking steps in the right direction while still being committed to the work with the guys that aren’t taking those big leaps. Up to this point, it hasn’t been the easiest to balance, but I think we’ve done it. But I’d also like to reward guys that are doing a good job.”

THINGS HAVE GOTTEN SERIOUS AT BUSCH! pic.twitter.com/aYYluPj2bl

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 24, 2025

Through the first two months of the season, the Cardinals committed to playing Jordan Walker in right field every game. They stuck with him, even when he hit .210 in April with a .559 OPS, and in May, when those numbers marginally improved to a .224 average and .656 OPS.

St. Louis thought it could create some opportunity for its lefty sluggers in Burleson and Nolan Gorman, but Iván Herrera’s emergence as a legitimate middle of the order bat threw a wrench in those plans.

But the Cardinals will be without Herrera indefinitely (left hamstring strain) and Walker has slumped since returning from a brief IL stint (left wrist inflammation) of his own. Gorman, who also homered in Monday’s win, can slot into Herrera’s role as the team’s designated hitter. That leaves room for Burleson as a corner outfielder. Never mind that he best profiles as a first baseman or designated hitter — the Cardinals are now determined to keep him his bat in the lineup.

Burleson, thanks to his work ethic and a newfound demeanor, has forced St. Louis to extend his runway.

“This had happened to me before, so I know what it takes to make sure it doesn’t spiral when you do get your opportunities, and the best way to take advantage of those,” Burleson said. “It’s more mental than physical. I want to play every day, and I need to put myself mentally in a spot where I am playing every day.”

That type of mentally did not go unnoticed by the coaching staff and his teammates. Marmol spoke to the difficulty of the situation, and how well Burleson navigated the lack of playing time.

Over the last several weeks, Burleson refined his approach and emphasized better pitch selection in non two-strike counts. The results speak for themselves. Burleson, who has rarely struggled to hit for contact, has a 13.3 percent strikeout rate (which ranks in the 90th percentile of eligible MLB hitters) and has squared up 33.8 percent of batted balls, good enough for the league’s 92nd percentile.

“He’s done a really nice job of waiting for his opportunity,” Marmol said. “I think the overall communication has helped, understanding that during this stretch your playing time is not going to be a ton, but stay locked in because we’ll still mix you in. His mentality has been really good throughout that. He was never down on himself. He continued to work and he was ready for his opportunity, and credit to him, he’s done a really nice job of running with it.”

“He was getting inconsistent at-bats at the beginning of the season, so for him to stick to his approach and stick to what he knows … He handled it like a true pro,” Lars Nootbaar, who went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, added.

Week begins with W! pic.twitter.com/MJGV37QHEk

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 24, 2025

As the Cardinals push through June, they know July will be a crucial month, for their short and long-term future. St. Louis must decide what it will do at the trade deadline; whether it will buy or sell, focus on the future or try to capitalize on surprising success, or perhaps find a way to do both.

Should the Cardinals decide to make a run, some players will be evaluated differently than they were in April. Such is already the case for Burleson, who continued to show Monday night why he should be an everyday starter, and how he could be a valuable asset for the club in 2026 and beyond.

“I want to be in the lineup,” Burleson said. “I don’t care (what position) it’s at. I want to play every day, I want to be right in the middle of the order producing with this team. Whether that’s in left, right, DH, first, wherever it’s at I want to be in the lineup and help this team win. I think I can do it.”

(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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