Outlook Alec Burleson
Alec Burleson's red-hot bat makes him a must-start corner infielder
State of the Union: Burleson has been on a tear over the last 14 days, batting .333 with three home runs and 12 RBIs to help propel the second-place Cardinals (37-28) during their current six-game winning streak. Firmly established as St. Louis's everyday starter at first base, he has avoided the team's minor injury bug and continues to secure high-quality plate appearances daily.
Under the Hood: While Burleson's current .330 average over his last 30 days is an exceptional hot streak, his .291 mark across 64 games this year closely mirrors his elite .290 average from last season. Our models project him to settle around a .268 average with 16 home runs on the year, suggesting some minor power regression is coming, but his excellent contact skills make his high batting average floor incredibly safe.
The Week Ahead & Verdict: With four games remaining on the road trip, Burleson faces a mixed bag of matchups. He will clash with tough righty Christian Scott (2.50 ERA) and Minnesota's Joe Ryan (3.07 ERA) before getting a highly favorable matchup against Connor Prielipp (5.15 ERA). Given his elite form and locked-in role, keep him active in all formats. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
