The Cardinals placed Nootbaar (heels) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Nootbaar began a running progression last week and took live batting practice Tuesday, but the Cardinals are planning to proceed cautiously with the outfielder, who underwent surgery in October to address Haglund's deformities on both of his heels. A firmer target date for Nootbaar's season debut should become available in the weeks to come once he ramps up the intensity and frequency of his on-field work, but he won't be eligible to debut until late May after landing on the 60-day IL. The transaction will free up a spot on the 40-man roster for top prospect JJ Wetherholt, who will be part of the Cardinals' Opening Day squad.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Will open season on IL
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Nootbaar (heel) will start the 2026 regular season on the injured list, William Ladson of MLB.com reports.
As expected, Nootbaar will miss the opening portion of the regular season while rehabbing from offseason surgery on both heels. There is no clear timeline for when the 28-year-old outfielder will be ready to make his season debut. Nootbaar's absence means Nathan Church should see a bump in starts in the outfield to open the 2026 campaign.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: To ramp up running program
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Nootbaar (heels) has been increasing his agility drills and is soon slated to ramp up his running program, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar's running will occur on an altered-gravity treadmill, so while his progression from offseason surgery on both heels is coming along, he does not appear close to being cleared for game action. The 28-year-old outfielder will begin the campaign on the injured list, and there remains no firm timetable for when he might be ready for his season debut.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Beginning stages of running program
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Nootbaar (heels) has been able to hit and throw without issue but is just now getting into the stage of being able to run unaided, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Recovering from surgery in early October to address deformities on both of his heels, Nootbaar's arrival in Cardinals camp was delayed until Wednesday as the team awaited the delivery of an altered gravity treadmill. The outfielder said Wednesday that he does not have a timeline for a return, but the consensus is that he will begin the season on the injured list. Once healthy, Nootbaar will be the club's everyday left fielder.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Running on alt-gravity treadmill
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Nootbaar (heels) has progressed to running on an altered gravity treadmill, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Nootbaar underwent surgery in early October to address deformities on both of his heels and is progressing slowly but surely. He will be a few days late in reporting to camp, as the Cardinals still need to have an altered gravity treadmill delivered to their spring training complex in Florida so Nootbaar can continue rehabbing. It's looking unlikely that Nootbaar will be ready in time for Opening Day, but more clarity on his timetable should be available later in spring training.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Settles with Cards at $5.35 million
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The Cardinals and Nootbaar (heels) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.35 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Nootbaar played a career-high 135 games but produced a career-low .686 OPS for the Cardinals this past season. He underwent surgery on both heels in October and is not a lock to be ready for Opening Day. Once Nootbaar is ready, he's expected to be the team's primary left fielder.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Could miss start of '26 season
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Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Sunday that Nootbaar (heels) isn't guaranteed to be available for the start of the 2026 season, Matt Pauley of 1120 AM KMOX St. Louis reports.
Nootbaar is on the mend from Oct. 7 surgery to address deformities on both of his heels. At the time the procedure was performed, the Cardinals didn't put a timeline on Nootbaar's return to full baseball activities, but Bloom's comments suggest that the outfielder could need around six months to get back to 100 percent health. Bloom noted that Nootbaar won't be hurried along in the rehab process, and even if the 28-year-old winds up on the injured list to begin the 2026 campaign, he would be shelved for only a limited amount of time. Nootbaar played in a career-high 135 games in 2025, slashing .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs, four stolen bases, 48 RBI and 68 runs over 583 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Returns from IL
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The Cardinals reinstated Nootbaar (ribs) from the injured list Saturday.
Nootbaar has been on the injured list since mid-July with a left costochondral sprain but has played three rehab games in Double-A, going 4-for-14 with an RBI and a run scored. Now fully recovered, he'll reclaim an everyday role in the Cardinals' outfield and replace Jose Fermin on the active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Embarking on rehab assignment
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Nootbar (ribs) will begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Nootbaar landed on the 10-day injured list just before the All-Star break due to a left costochondral sprain. He was initially limited to light tee work, but he has progressed enough in his recovery to get back on the field on a rehab assignment. Nootbaar could be back with the big club in early August, depending on how his injury reacts to a larger workload.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Rehab games around corner
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Nootbaar (ribs) could begin a rehab assignment early next week, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar began a hitting progression with soft toss and tee work Wednesday and looks to be trending in the right direction as he comes back from a left costochondral sprain. The outfielder has been sidelined since just before the All-Star break and shouldn't require too many rehab games before rejoining the Cardinals' active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Unable to swing without discomfort
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Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday that Nootbaar has not been able to swing a bat without feeling discomfort in his left ribcage, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The team had hoped Nootbaar would be ready to begin a hitting progression Monday, but it appears the outfielder is not ready for that yet. A timetable for Nootbaar's return won't become clear until he's able to ramp things up without pain. Nootbaar landed on the 10-day injured list just over a week ago with a left costochondral sprain, an injury which had kept him in and out of the lineup since late June.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Shelved with rib sprain
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St. Louis placed Nootbaar on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a left costochondral sprain.
Nootbaar will be sidelined through at least July 23 after he was removed from Saturday's 7-6 loss to Atlanta due to side discomfort. The outfielder had also been lifted from a game two days earlier due to the same issue, so the Cardinals opted to give him some extra time off. St. Louis activated Ivan Herrera (hamstring) from the IL in a corresponding move.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Pulled with side discomfort
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Nootbaar was removed from Saturday's game against Atlanta due to left side discomfort, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Nootbaar has been dealing with a ribcage/intercostal injury over the past several weeks, which may have had something to do with his early removal Saturday. With the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Cardinals could look to get the 27-year-old an extra day of rest and sit him for Sunday's first-half finale.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: In lineup Friday
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Nootbaar (ribs) is batting fifth and playing left field Friday against Atlanta.
Nootbaar was lifted from Thursday's game to get checked out for a rib injury, but he's back in the starting nine Friday. The 27-year-old is slashing .230/.334/.387 with 12 home runs in 380 plate appearances this season.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Returns to lineup Tuesday
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Nootbaar (intercostal) will start in left field and bat seventh in Tuesday's game against the Pirates.
Nootbaar missed the last two contests after aggravating a left intercostal injury, but he took batting practice Monday and is feeling well enough to give it a go in the second game of the series. The outfielder is slashing .227/.334/.381 with 11 home runs in 78 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: IL decision could come Tuesday
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Nootbaar (intercostal) was slated to take batting practice Monday to determine whether he'd be available to play Tuesday or require a longer absence, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar was given a pain-killing shot last week to combat a left intercostal issue and he hasn't played since aggravating the injury on a check swing in Saturday's game versus the Guardians. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol noted Monday before Nootbaar was slated to take batting practice that the outfielder "said it's feeling a little better." If it's determined Tuesday that Nootbaar isn't ready to play, the Cardinals could place him on the 10-day injured list. Brendan Donovan has been in left field and Thomas Saggese has handled second base the last two games with Nootbaar unavailable.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Likely out until Tuesday
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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that Nootbaar will likely remain out of the lineup until at least Tuesday while the outfielder manages a left intercostal injury, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has been in and out of the lineup over the past week due to the injury, which he appeared to aggravate during a check swing in Saturday's 9-6 win over the Guardians. The left-handed-hitting outfielder sat out Sunday's 7-0 victory while Cleveland sent lefty Logan Allen to the bump, and it makes sense for the Cardinals to hold him out again Monday versus the Pirates while southpaw Andrew Heaney takes the hill for Pittsburgh. While the Cardinals seem hopeful that Nootbaar will be ready to go Tuesday, a stint on the 10-day injured list can't be ruled out, given the nature of the injury.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Back in lineup
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Nootbaar (side) is batting fifth and playing left field Friday against Cleveland.
Nootbaar missed back-to-back games with an intercostal injury, but he's feeling well enough to start Friday. He's riding a six-game hit streak, going 7-for-22 (.318) with three home runs and a 4:6 BB:K during that stretch.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Dealing with intercostal injury
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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that Nootbaar was unavailable Wednesday and again Thursday after receiving a pain-killing shot to combat an intercostal injury, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
It explains why Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for a second straight day Thursday. The Cardinals are optimistic that they caught the injury early and expect Nootbaar to be ready to return to the lineup Friday when they begin a road trip in Cleveland.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Out against left-hander
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Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
The left-handed-hitting Nootbaar typically plays against left-handed pitching, but he will begin Wednesday's contest on the bench as the Cubs send southpaw Matthew Boyd to the bump. Fellow left-handed-swinger Brendan Donovan will patrol left field for the Cardinals.
