cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbar He was one of the players announced earlier this month by St. Louis brass to undergo surgery on Oct. 7 to eliminate deformities in both heels of Haglund’s feet. At the time, Nootebar’s timetable for returning to the field was unclear, but today, President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom revealed to KMOX Sports’ Matt Pauley during a radio interview that Opening Day after Nootebar’s surgery is neither completely impossible nor completely guaranteed. Bloom added that they don’t plan to rush rehab in order to have him return in time for the start of the season, but if he misses the start of the season, the absence will be limited.
In terms of a timeline for offseason surgeries, Nootbar’s surgery doesn’t appear to be concerning. It would naturally be less than ideal if he missed the 2026 season opener, but with the Cardinals likely entering a rebuilding phase, the few games Nootbar may miss early in the season are unlikely to impact the club’s playoff chances next year. Considering Nootbar is coming off the worst season of his career, hitting just .234/.325/.361 (96 wRC+) after three straight seasons with a wRC+ of 114 or higher, if that means Nootbar misses a few more days to start the season as they try to get back to the more potent offensive form he showed in previous seasons, it’ll be well worth it for the Cardinals.
The 28-year-old will coach two more seasons with St. Louis before slated to become a free agent in the 2027-28 offseason. For the Cardinals, who likely won’t return to contention until Nottbarr hits free agency, he’s certainly a logical trade candidate. Today’s news about Nootbaar’s uncertain Opening Day status may slightly reduce the likelihood of a deal going through, but the impact on his market is likely to be at least relatively negligible.
After all, the club already knows Nootbare will be recovering from surgery this offseason, and his decline in performance last year could make the Cardinals hesitant before trading him before giving him a chance to bounce back from his recent surgery and improve his stock. St. Louis has no incentive to risk selling Nootbaar low because he could theoretically be traded before the 2026 trade deadline, and if the QO remains after the next round of collective bargaining negotiations next winter, he could still play in two pennant games for interested clubs and be eligible for a qualifying offer after the 2027 season.
Looking at the Cardinals’ current depth chart, if the rest of the team’s position players stay healthy, the possibility of losing Notebarr for a few games to start the year shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, Alec Burlesonand Brendan Donovan All will spend some time in the outfield next year, not to mention potential depth options like Nathan Church and Michael Ciani Behind that main group. Donovan is widely believed to be more likely to spend time in the infield next year, especially if the club manages to make a trade Nolan Arenado this winter, but Nolan Gorman Thomas Saggesse should be able to fill in for Donovan when he plays the outfield.
