The Cardinals need to extend or trade Alec Burleson this offseason

Last offseason, one of the biggest names of the trade market was utility man Brendan Donovan. He was coming off a career year for the St. Louis Cardinals, he still had two more years of team control, and his ability to play anywhere on the diamond was intriguing for teams. In return, the Cardinals netted switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfielders Tai Peete and Colton Ledbetter. Chaim Bloom could replicate that trade this offseason with Alec Burleson.

Burleson, 28, is exiting his best season as a professional. He finished 2026 with a .279/.343/.473 slash line with 26 home runs and an MLB-best 116 RBIs. He posted a 125 wRC+ and accumulated 3.2 fWAR, 8th among all first basemen last year. He was reliable at first base, finishing with a Fielding Run Value of +7.

Since his rookie year, Burleson has seen his wRC+ increase in a dramatic way. It's gone up every single year, and his 125 wRC+ this past season was a career high. While Burly has holes in his games, particularly against left-handed pitching, he's about as complete of a first baseman as one would hope.

He is also just two years away from free agency. That plays a key factor in what the Cardinals will do with Alec Burleson this offseason.

If the St. Louis Cardinals aren't going to extend Alec Burleson, they need to trade him this offseason.

Alec Burleson doesn't play as premium a position as Brendan Donovan did/does. However, he still has plenty of trade value, and it's currently at its peak. He has two years of team control remaining, he is coming off back-to-back strong offensive seasons, and he showed this past year that he can capably play first base, a position he had little exposure to prior to 2026.

There's plenty of value in keeping a guy like Alec Burleson on your team, especially as you look to enter an era of competitiveness in 2028. Burly can help teach young players like Leo Bernal, Joshua Baez, Jesus Baez, and others what it means to be a professional, particularly one in St. Louis. He's one of the last threads between the current Cardinals and the 2022 Cardinals, the last St. Louis team to make it to the postseason.

An extension for Burleson, especially considering the lack of true first-base prospects in the upper minors, would be my preferred route. He's shown a desire to stay in St. Louis long-term, and he would be a very solid middle-of-the-order hitter for the Cardinals as they enter their next competitive window.

However, if an extension can't be worked out, Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals need to trade Burleson this offseason. His value is probably as high as it will get, and the return would continue to build the farm system, something that Bloom has stated is still a priority.

Teams like the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Rangers could all benefit from an upgrade at first base. The Mets in particular could have a redo when they failed to trade for Willson Contreras last offseason.

It would be best if the Cardinals and Alec Burleson were able to work out an extension to keep him in St. Louis beyond 2028. However, if an agreement can't be reached in the near future, trading him now benefits the Cardinals the most. They can't let him get closer to free agency or walk and be satisfied.

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