Cards’ Alec Burleson back in starting lineup for series finale at Tampa originally appeared on The Sporting News
St. Louis Cardinals utility man Alec Burleson is back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field, per MLB.com’s John Denton.
Advertisement
Burleson was scratched from Friday’s game due to right wrist soreness following an awkward swing and miss on Aug. 21.
The Cardinals lost to Tampa Bay, 10-6, on Friday in Burleson’s absence, but they’ll still have an opportunity to earn a series win today at 12:10 p.m. ET.
Burleson’s impact
In the midst of his fourth Major League season, Burleson is slashing .285/.337/.449 with 15 home runs and 59 RBI over 117 games this year. Only first baseman Willson Contreras has more homers (19) and RBI (70) on St. Louis.
At 64-66, the Cardinals’ playoff hopes are dwindling. They are 5.5 games back from the last NL Wild Card spot and have a 4.1% chance of making the postseason, according to Baseball Reference.
Advertisement
St. Louis stood a season-high nine games over .500 on June 29 but has faltered since, going 17-28 over their last 45 games. Key to the Cardinals’ troubles is their pitching staff, which ranks 24th in MLB with a 4.80 ERA after the All-Star Break.
Burleson was a second-round pick by St. Louis in the 2020 Draft. He made his Major League debut late in 2022 and has continued to raise his batting average each year. In addition to his offense, Burleson is a versatile defender who typically plays either outfield or first base.
The Cardinals will need him to step up, along with his teammates, if they want to make a push toward the postseason.