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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Posts two hits in season debut
Rotowire
Nootbaar went 2-for-6 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Friday's 10-3 win over the Reds.
Nootbaar hit leadoff and recorded a single in his first at-bat of the campaign before adding an RBI double in the sixth. The 28-year-old slashed .234/.325/.361 with 13 homers, 48 RBI, 68 runs scored and four steals across 583 plate appearances in 2025 and should settle into an everyday role as long as he can stay healthy.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Activated ahead of season debut
Rotowire
The Cardinals activated Nootbaar (heels) from the 60-day injured list Friday.
Noobaar is ready to make his season debut after recovering from offseason surgery to correct deformities in both heels. He looked good during a 12-game rehab stint, slashing .257/.409/.543 with three home runs and a 9:6 BB:K. The Cardinals will likely mix in some extra off days initially so they don't overload Nootbaar, but he's poised to be the team's everyday left fielder. Nootbaar is batting leadoff in Friday's game versus the Reds.
Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Lined up for activation Friday
Rotowire
Nootbaar (heels) "appears targeted" to be activated from the 60-day injured list before the start of Friday's series against the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
A previous report indicated that the Cardinals were aiming for June 1 for Nootbaar's season debut, but it seems he will remain on his rehab assignment a bit longer. The 28-year-old has looked good in his first 10 rehab games spread across three affiliates, slashing .259/.412/.519 with two home runs and a 7:4 BB:K. Nootbaar is working his way back from offseason double heel surgery.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Aiming for June 1 return
Rotowire
The Cardinals are eyeing June 1 as a target date for Nootbaar's (heels) activation from the 60-day injured list, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar homered in his first rehab game with Single-A Palm Beach last week and has since moved up to Triple-A Memphis, going 2-for-6 with a 1:2 BB:K over three contests between the two stops. He's played left field twice and served as a designated hitter once, and Nootbaar is projected to be the Cardinals' everyday left fielder when he rejoins the active roster. The 28-year-old is working his way back from double heel surgery.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Beginning rehab assignment
Rotowire
Nootbaar (heels) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Palm Beach on Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has been ramping up workouts at the Cardinals' spring training facility in Florida and is finally ready to test things out in a game setting. It will be his first game action since he underwent offseason surgery to address painful growths on both heels. He's eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list May 24, but it's likely Noobaar will need a little more time than that. When he does make it back onto St. Louis' active roster, Nootbaar could take over left field from the lackluster duo of Nathan Church (.681 OPS in 136 PAs) and Thomas Saggese (.380 OPS in 65 PAs).
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Nearing rehab assignment
Rotowire
Nootbaar (heels) will begin a rehab assignment over the weekend, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar is expected to begin playing his rehab games at Single-A Palm Beach before advancing to higher-level affiliates in what will be a lengthy assignment similar to spring training. Assuming he doesn't encounter any setbacks, he figures to make his season debut with the Cardinals in late May or early June.
Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Targeting late May/early June
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Saturday that Nootbaar (heels) is on track to begin a rehab assignment as soon as the week of May 10, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has been taking live batting practice and going through running drills at the team's spring training complex in Florida and is almost ready to test out his surgically repaired heels in official game action. It will essentially be his spring training when he does start playing in games, so Nootbaar will need a significant amount of rehab action. The goal is for the 28-year-old outfielder to be ready for his season debut by late May or early June. Nootbaar will likely take over as the Cardinals' everyday left fielder when he returns to the active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Close to extended spring games
Rotowire
Nootbaar (heels) is close to participating in extended spring training games, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has been rehabbing at the Cardinals' spring training complex as he works his way back from offseason surgery on both heels. He will knock off some rust in extended spring training before eventually being assigned to a full-season affiliate. Nootbaar is eligible to return from the 60-day injured list May 24, and the Cardinals are tentatively lining him up to be back at that time.
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: Being evaluated for 60-day IL move
Rotowire
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Monday that Nootbaar (heels) will be evaluated this week for potential placement on the 60-day injured list, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Bloom noted that the team's current wish is to avoid the 60-day IL with Nootbaar, as the transaction would leave him ineligible to make his season debut until late May. However, that decision will be made after the Cardinals get a better sense of how far Nootbaar is along in his rehab from offseason surgery on both heels. Per Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com, Nootbaar is slated to take batting practice with minor leaguers at the team's spring training complex Tuesday. St. Louis will use a combination of Nathan Church, Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin in left field until Nootbaar is ready.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Will open season on IL
Rotowire
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.
Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: To ramp up running program
Rotowire
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.
Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: No timetable to play in games
Rotowire
Nootbaar (heels) remains without a timetable for his Grapefruit League debut, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar is expected to begin the season on the 10-day injured list as he continues his recovery from offseason surgery on both heels. He's going through baseball activities and will continue to ramp things up as his health allows, but there's no target date for his participation in games. A clearer picture regarding Nootbaar's timetable should be available later this month.
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