Burleson on brink of 100 RBIs as Cardinals host Pirates
The St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ET. Alec Burleson enters with 99 RBIs and aims for his 100th. Lake Bachar starts for Pittsburgh, while Kyle Leahy starts for St. Louis.
Burleson's pursuit of a century of RBIs places him second in Major League Baseball in that category, trailing only teammate Jordan Walker's 97 in a tight race atop the leaderboard. The Cardinals sit at .500, three games behind the Pirates in the NL Central standings, making this divisional matchup meaningful for both clubs' positioning.
Leahy has been reliable with a 3.13 ERA and ten wins, while Bachar carries a 3.70 mark for Pittsburgh. The Cardinals' injury list is lengthy, including Masyn Winn and Andre Pallante, though the Pirates also contend with absences like Mitch Keller and Ryan O'Hearn.
This game may carry significance for fans tracking individual milestones and divisional races, as Burleson's RBI chase offers a tangible storyline for Cardinals supporters during a middling season. The outcome could influence playoff positioning in a tightly bunched NL Central, potentially shaping how both franchises approach the final month. For casual viewers, milestone moments like a 100-RBI season may draw attention to a sport competing for audience share in late summer.