Alec Burleson Joins Cardinals Royalty with Career-Best 100th RBI of 2026
With his 100th RBI of the season on Sunday, Alec Burleson joined Cardinals' legends Keith Hernandez, Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado with triple digits in run production. Burleson's previous high for RBI came in 2024 when he drove in 78 runs.
Video Transcript
With his 100th RBI on Sunday afternoon, Al- Alec Burleson became just the second player in Major League Baseball this season with 100 RBI.
He joins, of course, Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart, who already has 105 RBI, and Burleson has 100.
Keep in mind, Burleson had never driven in more than 78.
He did s- he, he drove in 78, back in 2024, which was previously a career year for him.
This year he's having the best season of his career.
He also moved into some royal- Cardinals royalty with, by hitting triple digits in RBIs.
How about these names in Cardinal history?
Keith Hernandez, Jimmy Edmonds, Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt, and Nolan Arenado.
Yep, with 100 RBI, Burleson became the first Cardinal to hit triple digits in RBI since Goldy and Arenado did it in back in 2022.
Of course, Goldy won the MVP in the National League in '22 by driving in 115 runs, while Nolan Arenado finished third that year, in R- in, in the MVP voting with 103 RBI.
Burleson also is the first homegrown Cardinal with 100 RBI since Albert Pujols, the one and only Albert Pujols, did it in 2010.
Burleson, of course, was a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, the same draft that produced Jordan Walker, Mason Wynn.
Burleson also came in that draft.
Listen to the year 2010, the last time Pujols had 100 RBI for the Cardinals.
He had 118 RBI that year.
He had 42 home runs.
That was the best in baseball.
He had a 7.5 WAR.
That was the best in the National League.
He got intentionally walked 38 times that year for a 173 OPS+, just mind-boggling numbers.
Burleson also was the first left-handed Cardinals hitter since Jimmy Edmonds in tw- 2004 to have under 100 RBI.
Back in 2004, Edmonds finished, fifth in MVP voting.
That year he hit 301 with 38 doubles and 42 homers and 111 RBI.
Just for comparison sakes, Edmonds had a 171 OPS+ that year.
That means he was 71% better than the average Major League player.
And then here's one more.
Burleson became the first left-handed hitting first baseman for the Cardinals to have 100 RBI since Keith Hernandez did it.
Keith Hernandez in 1979 won the National League MVP award.
That season, Hernandez hit 344, had a league best 48 doubles, and he drove in 105 runs.
So that kinda shows you what Burleson is doing.
Goldy won the MVP in '22.
Pujols finished second in 2010 when he drove in his 118 runs.
Edmonds finished fifth his year in 2004.
And then Hernandez won the MVP in 1979 when he did it.
Listen to where Burleson ranks so far this season on the Cardinals.
Batting average first, 288.
On base percentage 353, second.
Slugging 476, he's second.
OPS 829, he's second.
OPS+ 135, that means he's 35% better than the average player.
He's second only to Jordan Walker, who's 139.
Burleson also leads the team in hits, he leads the team in doubles, and he's second in home run.
He, he's had an incredible season.
He drove in 20 in April.
He drove in 13 in May.
He-- that's when he said, "Well, apparently I'm waiting for it to get 100 degrees in St.
Louis."
He's traditionally a slow starter, and then he comes on late in the year.
He had drove in 19 in June, 14 in July, and 29 in August.
Most people would think most months this would be a player of the month type month for Burleson.
He has 29 RBI this month.
He has six home runs, six doubles.
Usually, that would win him the Player of the Month award easily.
However, Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is surging towards clear-- you know, apparently he's gonna win the MVP in the National League.
He has 12 home runs and 26 RBI in August, but shouldn't take anything away from what Burleson has accomplished this season.
He's had a career year and, you know, I look for the Cardinals to lock him up this off-season to be a, a foundational piece in this rebuild.
I'm John Denton with Roundtable Sports
