After months of battling without one of their steadier presences in the outfield, the St. Louis Cardinals finally see light at the end of the tunnel. Lars Nootbaar is closing in on his return, and it couldn’t come at a better moment for a club sitting at 31-26 and looking to climb the NL Central standings.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch dropped the news on X: “Nootbaar is expected to join team Friday.” He added that Victor Scott II “is struggling but remains a contributor on defense, in the view of the team.” That suggests the Cardinals won’t be rushing to shuffle the lineup too aggressively right away, especially with Nathan Church still sidelined on the IL.
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For Cardinals fans who have memorized every swing Nootbaar has taken since he broke in, this is massive. The 28-year-old lefty brings proven pop and plate presence that the club has missed. Career .242 hitter, he’s cleared 12 home runs in each of the last four seasons and driven in at least 40 runs every year. Last season’s numbers — .234/.325/.361 with a .686 OPS, 13 homers, and 48 RBIs across 135 games — reflected a down year, but context matters. He played through painful Haglund’s deformities on both heels, those bony growths near the Achilles that made every step a challenge. Offseason surgery was the fix, and now he’s trending perfectly toward activation.
When Nootbaar slots back in, likely seeing most of his time in left field given Scott’s defensive value in center, the Cardinals gain a known commodity. Reliable defense, a discerning eye at the plate, and the ability to drive the ball with authority. In a season where consistency has been hard to find in the outfield corners, Nootbaar represents stability and potential thunder in the middle of the order.
Don’t get it twisted — the Cardinals have hung tough without him. But adding a bat like this, especially one familiar with the Busch Stadium dimensions and the grind of a full MLB schedule, gives the club a different dimension. Whether it’s sparking a rally late or providing a steady presence in a tight divisional race, his presence changes the equation.
The wait that felt endless is nearly done. Barring any last-minute setbacks, Friday, June 5 marks the day the Birds get one of their own back where he belongs.