8 Cardinals who weren't traded at the deadline but could be moved this offseason

1B/DH/OF Alec Burleson

Alec Burleson is in the midst of his best season of his young career. The lefty outfielder (first baseman/designated hitter?) has a .287/.341/.469 slash line for a 126 OPS+. He's been the club's best hitter outside of Ivan Herrera all year.

Burleson has hit a team-leading 14 home runs this year to go along with 48 runs batted in. He's entrenched himself into the heart of the lineup with his offensive output this year.

Trading Alec Burleson at the deadline would have been a clear opportunity to capitalize on his value. He's young (26), having a strong year offensively, and under ample team control. (He's not a free agent until 2029.) All of these reasons to trade Burly are the same ones the front office will use to keep him on the roster for the future.

There's a strong chance Alec Burleson is a core piece of this team in 2026 and beyond. He's gotten better offensively each year, and it's possible that his his 126 OPS+ is not his peak. The downside to Alec Burleson would be his defensive abilities. He's primarily a corner outfielder (as is Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker...you see my point) who can play first base on occasion.

He's essentially a neutral defender at first for his career (+2 DRS, -2 OAA), but he's a negative defender across the outfield for his career (-3 DRS and -8 OAA in left field, -7 DRS and -12 OAA in right field). A power-hitting corner outfielder who is a defensive liability shouldn't be a core piece a team should build around unless their offense is otherworldly. Burleson isn't to that level.

The Cardinals don't need plus defenders and average offensive players at every position. They're already fielding defense-first players at catcher, shortstop, third base, and center field. However, there is something to be said for defensive viability, and I'm not certain Burleson provides that in the outfield. A team can have a negative defender in the corner outfield, but he'd better hit exceptionally well to offset his shortcomings in the field.

Alec Burleson is a strong offensive player, but his defense liabilities and lack of positional versatility make him an expendable player this offseason. He and Ivan Herrera are teetering towards similar defensive profiles, and Herrera is certainly the better offensive player. If Chaim Bloom's goal is to reset the system, trading Alec Burleson for a mid-rotation starting pitcher would go a long way.