- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,256,942
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Cardinals .805 OPS lefty slugger reportedly a 'popular' trade target ahead of MLB deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to listen to trade inquiries on a few of their players, with Chaim Bloom continuing his rebuild from the offseason despite this team's success.
Jordan Walker is almost assuredly untouchable, but some other impact players are under control beyond 2026 that could be on the move. One of those potential players is reportedly a very popular trade target this summer.
According to MLB Networks' Jon Morosi, the Cardinals' .805 OPS outfielder/first baseman Alec Burleson is "one of the most popular" trade targets for teams ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and is someone to watch this summer.
Cardinals' Alec Burleson is a very popular trade target
"Heard this today: Cardinals 1B/OF Alec Burleson is one of the most popular controllable bats on the trade market," Morosi reports.
Bloom and the Cardinals are looking likely to sell, with players like Dustin May and Lars Nootbaar among their more likely trade targets.
But now, Burleson is someone worth keeping an eye on, as teams seemingly have a lot of interest in him ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline.
This season, Burleson has an .805 OPS with 15 home runs, 121 hits, and 1.9 bWAR in 111 games played. As an outfielder and first baseman, he would be a versatile option as well for many clubs.
But one of the main reasons why the Cardinals are receiving so much heated interest in Burleson is that the 27-year-old is under club control through the 2028 season.
MORE: How Cubs inadvertently helped Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal
A team adding Burleson wouldn't just be getting him for 2026; they would have him for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Of course, from the Cardinals' perspective, they won't be trading Burleson for a small return. A controllable slugger like him will surely cost a team a ton to acquire.
It would not be a surprise if a package for Burleson, if one were to be put together, would include a top-100 prospect in baseball.
A good hitter like Burleson is sure to have a ton of suitors, but amid all of those suitors and his club control, Bloom can demand an incredibly lofty price for him.
Cardinals fans shouldn't stress about a Burleson trade because even if it does happen, Bloom would likely receive a massive prospect package in exchange for the left-handed-hitting outfielder/first baseman.
More MLB news:
- Cubs land Kevin Gausman in blockbuster trade with Blue Jays
- Red Sox expected to trade Jarren Duran during offseason, not MLB trade deadline
- What did Mets get for Freddy Peralta? Rays send three prospects for 4.99 ERA SP
- Tigers receive lousy grade for Tarik Skubal trade to Dodgers from ESPN
- Phillies predicted to trade for a starting pitcher and reliever by MLB deadline
Continue reading...
