"Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears from sources on rival teams that the Cardinals don't seem to be "actively seeking to trade" outfielder Lars Nootbaar. This doesn't necessarily mean that Nootbaar won't be dealt, of course, but there are also some obvious reasons why the Cardinals might want to wait until beyond this offseason to move the 28-year-old."
"Injuries have been a subplot of Nootbaar's career, and while he hit new career highs in games played (135) and plate appearances (583) in 2025, he underwent surgery in October on both of his heels. The surgery was meant to address Haglund's deformities, which are bone spurs that develop on the heel bone near the base of the Achilles tendon."
"Between the health question mark and Nootbaar's 96 wRC+ (from 13 homers and a .234/.325/.361 slash line), St. Louis would probably be selling low if Nootbaar was traded this winter. As such, it makes sense that the Cardinals would hang onto Nootbaar for now and see if he's able to bounce back in the first half of the 2026 season, so a trade deadline move might be more realistic."
The Cardinals are open to offers in a rebuild but are not actively pursuing a trade for Lars Nootbaar. Nootbaar underwent October surgery on both heels to address Haglund's deformities, and recovery timing for Opening Day remains uncertain. Nootbaar posted a 96 wRC+ in 2025 with 13 home runs and a .234/.325/.361 slash line, raising selling-low concerns if traded now. The club saved payroll with other trades and could move higher-salary veterans, while Nootbaar's projected $5.7MM arbitration salary and an extra year of control provide roster flexibility to let him rebound in early 2026.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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