Cardinals Unlikely To Trade Alec Burleson Amid Slew Of Updates

Rumors continue to swirl around the St. Louis Cardinals, although there isn't anything notable to show from the winter meetings quite yet.

St. Louis has been the subject of more trade rumors than any other team out there. When you have the sheer volume of talent that could be on the move that the Cardinals have, that is going to be the case. But the dam hasn't broken yet. It started to crack a few weeks ago when the Cardinals traded Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, but it hasn't fully opened up yet.

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On Tuesday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal gave a brief look into where things stand with St. Louis.

The Cardinals are the team to watch

Sep 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) draws a walk against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

"Teams continue to ask the St. Louis Cardinals about left-handed hitters Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar, not to mention Alec Burleson, who is unlikely to move," Rosenthal wrote. "In a market short on quality right-handed hitters, first baseman Willson Contreras figures to be popular, too. Contreras, who turns 34 in May, is two and a half years older than Pete Alonso. His career OPS+ is 18 percent above league average, while Alonso’s is 35 percent. But at $36.5 million over the next two seasons, plus a $5 million buyout on a $17.5 million club option, Contreras almost certainly would appeal to teams that prefer a less expensive first baseman than Alonso.

"Any trade would require Contreras to waive his full no-trade protection, something he likely would do only for certain clubs. As the Cardinals continue their deconstruction, he and third baseman Nolan Arenado might be more inclined to go."

This is more of the same, but there are two nuggets to take away. Rosenthal specifically noting that Burleson is "unlikely to move" isn't shocking, but is reassuring. Burleson entered the 2025 season seemingly as the forgotten "runway" guy behind Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman. He had a breakout year, though, and has earned his place as a part of this team's core moving forward. It doesn't hurt his case that he just won a Silver Slugger Award, as well.

The update on Contreras is the other nugget to watch. He has quickly gone from someone not spoken about a lot, to a hot name out there. The Athletic's Katie Woo reported that he is more open to trade talks now, which is what seemingly has kick-started the rumor mill for him. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol addressed the noise around Contreras on Monday and noted that if a deal comes around and "if it makes sense," it will lead to a conversation, but also pointed out that Contreras loves St. Louis and the organization.

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