The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t ship off any position players at the trade deadline, only trading away Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz.
With the crowded outfield now, especially with the plan to integrate Ivan Herrera into the outfield rotation, there is likely to be a platoon in the corner outfield spots, with Victor Scott maintaining his center field role.
While there is still a lot of sorting out to do in the outfield, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has decided that Alex Burleson won’t be impacted by the platoon in the outfield.
Expect a rotation of corner outfielders, as manager Oli Marmol again attempts to find a suitable combination for consistent playing time.
One player who won’t be a factor? Alec Burleson, who has earned his right to be in the every day lineup, Marmol said.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) August 5, 2025
“Expect a rotation of corner outfielders,” Woo writes, “as manager Oli Marmol again attempts to find a suitable combination for consistent playing time. One player who won’t be a factor? Alex Burleson, who has earned his right to be in the everyday lineup, Marmol said.”
This decision from Marmol is a clear indication of where the team lies. Burleson has earned a starting role in the outfield and will play more frequently than the other outfielders who are set to enter a rotation following the trade deadline.
Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, and Herrera will see time in the outfield down the stretch of the season. They’ll split time at one of the corner spots, as Burleson locks down the other.
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This season, Burleson is hitting .281 with 98 hits and 14 home runs. His .792 OPS is a career high and is a good deal higher than Nootbaar’s .704 OPS. Herrera has an .880 OPS, but he’s had 133 fewer at-bats than Burleson and is primarily the DH.
Walker, on the other hand, has struggled a bit this season. His .604 OPS is the lowest of the outfield options, but the former top prospect, who is only 23 years old, has been significantly better since his call-up in the middle of July.
Since the 18th of July, across 15 games and 53 at-bats, Walker has a .283 batting average and a .741 OPS. He has no home runs, but has six doubles and five RBIs in a much better stint with the team.
As the Cardinals begin to determine the team’s cast of outfielders, Herrera, Nootbaar, and Walker will split time between one of the corner outfield spots, as Burleson locks down the other.
Marmol believes Burleson has earned a consistent starting time, and based on his play this season, there’s no other experienced outfielder who compares to his offensive production this season.
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