Alec Burleson Leads Cardinals in RBI Crown, Season Concludes

The 2026 season for the St. Louis Cardinals has officially concluded with the team posting a 77-85 record. While not a winning season, it provided valuable insights and moments of entertainment for Cardinal Nation.

The team's final road trip saw them go 1-5, including a sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers. Standouts from the week included Matthew Liberatore, who pitched well in his final start despite a challenging season, and the team's overall resilience. Liberatore, a Peoria native, gave up just one run and struck out six against the Pirates, securing the Cardinals' final win of the season.

Resilience was a defining characteristic of the 2026 Cardinals, who consistently played hard and never let difficult losses carry over. They showcased this by erasing a 7-1 deficit on Opening Day and later coming back from 4-1 and 6-0 deficits in their final games against the Brewers. This fighting spirit was evident throughout their games.

Individual standouts were plentiful, with Alec Burleson taking the top spot. He finished the season as MLB's RBI king with 116 RBIs, the first Cardinal to lead the league since Albert Pujols in 2010. Other notable players included Jordan Walker, who hit 29 home runs, and JJ Wetherholt, who had a Rookie of the Year-caliber season. Joshua Baez also made a historic debut.