6 Cardinals who should be regulars down the stretch

OF/DH Alec Burleson

Alec Burleson has been the team's best offensive player for most of the year. He trails only Willson Contreras on the roster in wRC+ among players with at least 300 at-bats, and his 21 home runs are also at the top of the team's leaderboard.

Burly's .277/.309/.463 slash line is admirable, and he's been a potent hitter in the #2 spot for most of the year for the Cardinals. He's in just the sixth percentile for walk rate, but he's in the 95th percentile for strikeout rate, the 91st percentile for expected batting average, and the 91st percentile in squared-up percentage. The only metrics he's below average in offensively are barrel rate (46th percentile), bat speed (37th percentile), and chase rate (14th percentile).

Where Burleson can be knocked is defensively. He sits at -8 defensive runs saved with a -5.7 ultimate zone rating, and -8 outs above average in the outfield this year. He's been a neutral defender at first base in just 76 innings, however. Despite efforts this offseason to improve his outfield defense, Burly has not quite seen the results he may have wanted this year.

Additionally, Burleson is prone to heavy splits. While he mashes righties, he struggles mightily against left-handed pitchers. He has a .308/.343/.535 slash line against right-handed pitchers and a .203/.228/.288 slash line against left-handed pitchers. The differences are stark.

My only caveat with Alec Burleson on this list would be his platoon splits. I'm not concerned about his defense, as the Cardinals have Victor Scott II and Lars Nootbaar in the outfield to offset Burleson's weakness in the grass -- and he should probably see more time at first base. His split tendencies would worry me. Playing Burly strictly against right-handed pitchers -- or lefties with reverse splits -- would be ideal. Luckily, the bulk of pitchers in baseball are right-handed, so he should see plenty of playing time down the stretch.