Alec Burleson, riding a .331 average at Class AAA Memphis, arrived at Busch Stadium shortly before game time Wednesday and is expected to make his first major-league start Thursday. With a stretch of games against right-handed opponents, the Cardinals see a chance to measure the left-handed-hitting rookie against big leaguers and determine whether he has a place on a postseason roster.
“My hope is to see him quite a bit in the lineup over the next couple of weeks, and there’s opportunity to get him in there in different spots,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “We’re built to be OK and get him in.