Cardinals Surprisingly Have MLB's Top RBI Duo

There's so much to like about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals.

Right now, the Cardinals are red-hot. St. Louis has won four straight series, including one over the weekend against the Chicago Cubs. Now, the Cardinals are two games above .500 and they are still in the mix for a playoff spot in the National League. That's positive in itself.

Over the weekend, Joshua Báez made his big league debut and it was explosive. The young slugger became the first player in big league history to blast three home runs in an MLB debut.

The season in general has been very positive for the long-term future and health of the Cardinals' organization. The Cardinals have the second-youngest roster in baseball and these young guys have stepped up. Báez got the buzz throughout the weekend, but there are guys who have thrived all season to this point. For example, Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson have dominated.

The Cardinals Are Thriving

Aug 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) reacts after hitting a two-run single against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When it comes to Walker, he put the league on notice this season. The 24-year-old earned his first All-Star nod, won the Home Run Derby, and has finally lived up to the hype that he entered Major League Baseball with in 2023. Burleson has gone more under the radar, but he has been excellent. The 27-year-old is slashing .288/.355/.494 with an .849 OPS, 21 home runs, 90 RBIs, and a league-leading 31 doubles.

One thing that is a bit shocking is the fact that Walker and Burleson entered the day on Monday as the only duo in baseball right now with more than 85 RBIs on the season. Walker entered the day with 88 RBIs and Burleson had 90 of his own. In fact, Burleson was just one behind Sal Stewart and CJ Abrams for the MLB lead. Who saw that coming? His career high coming into the season was 78. Now, he has about six weeks left to add to his tally.

For something like this, you'd expect to see duos like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Or Freddie Freeman, or any of the other Dodgers stars. Or, guys like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies. If healthy, Aaron Judge and Ben Rice would be on this list as well. But there isn't another duo out there who have both reached 85 RBIs, outside of Walker and Burleson. That's absurd. In fact, there isn't even another duo out there who have both reached 80 RBIs.

Burleson is under team control for two more seasons. Walker is under team control for three more seasons. The Cardinals' offense is built to get even better. Now, of course, Báez is in the mix. Beyond these three, there is JJ Wetherholt, who should be the National League Rookie of the Year. Plus, Iván Herrera and Masyn Winn.

This is just the beginning of the Cardinals' rebuild and yet they already have a handful of clear-cut core pieces. That's excellent. The fact that Walker and Burleson are the only duo with 85 or more RBIs is surprising, but it just goes to show that there's immense upside in this lineup right now.

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