Cardinals-Lars Nootbaar Trade Rumors Reignite Before 2026 Debut

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to get one of their best offensive weapons back in the fold on Friday, but there's already trade buzz out there around him before is season opener.

Lars Nootbaar is expected to be in the lineup on Friday when the Cardinals begin a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Nootbaar's return has been a long time coming and is extremely positive for the club in general. Nootbaar had surgery on both of his heels this past offseason to correct Haglund’s deformities. That's certainly not a common — or easy — injury to come back from. Fortunately, Nootbaar is now ready to go.

While he hasn't played in a game yet this season in the majors for St. Louis, trade buzz around him has already begun. On Thursday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal shared a column with various notes around the league. One thing that he mentioned was that the Arizona Diamondbacks are going to be looking for left-handed hitters and Lars Nootbaar could be an option.

The Cardinals Outfielder Will Have Eyes On Him

Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) dives and tags out St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"The DBacks’ top three hitters — Ketel Marte, Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo — are either left-handed or switch-hitters," Rosnethal wrote. "But the team’s only other left-handed options are first baseman Pavin Smith, who returned Monday after missing two months with left elbow inflammation, Del Castillo and the switch-hitting Barrosa.

"Among the left-handed hitters who might be available and potentially could fit the DBacks’ desired profile: The San Francisco Giants’ Luis Arraez; Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar, Tigers’ Zack McKinstry; and Colorado Rockies’ TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston."

Now, it's not shocking to see Nootbaar's name in early rumors from a prominent insider, like Rosenthal. Nootbaar was talked about as a trade candidate this past offseason as well, but he underwent surgery and that quieted the noise. We've shared bold takes throughout the season, including a prediction that the veteran outfielder ultimately will get moved.

This idea all comes down to how he looks when he's back on the field in the majors, though. Last year was a down year for him as he dealt with these painful injuries. In 2024, he slashed .244/.342/.417 with a .758 OPS, 12 homers, and 45 RBIs. If he looks like that version of himself right away, then a summer deal could make sense. He only has one more season of control left, so a deal this summer would give an acquiring team over a full year of team control. But if he struggles, then it would make sense to hold him until the offseason and see what the market would look like then.

The Diamondbacks are a team with a lot of firepower, but they play in the most difficult division in baseball in the National League West. The Cardinals and Diamondbacks already came together on a deal this past offseason involving Nolan Arenado. After Rosenthal's report, Arizona is now a team to wath over the next few months again.

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