Cardinals Predicted to Deal Fan Favorite Outfielder with Deadline Closing In

Will the Cardinals actually do it?

Jul 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the seventh inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals have made their trade deadline direction clear over the past few weeks with their play. They are now just one game above the .500 mark and mired in fourth place in the National League Central.

The most logical path for St. Louis is to sell. They have plenty of trade pieces on their roster, but it remains to be seen who actually gets dealt in the coming days.

Tim Britton of The Athletic predicts that the Cardinals will actually trade away a fan favorite in outfielder Lars Nootbaar, which would clear a path for slugging prospect Joshua Baez.

"If not for last winter’s bilateral heel surgery, Nootbaar would have already been sent elsewhere," Britton wrote. "Since his early June return, he’s having a characteristic season, combining modest slugging with a high on-base percentage to be an above-average hitter. There are multiple contenders for whom he’d be an upgrade right now, and Chaim Bloom has shown a willingness to extend opportunities to younger players. Top-100 prospect Joshua Baez might be next to get the big-league call."

Lars Nootbaar trade prediction is off base

Jul 23, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) hits a one run single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nootbaar's production has started to decline a little bit this year. He is now hitting just .241/.346/.368 with three home runs, 15 RBI and a .715 OPS. However, he still provides elite defense in the outfield and can play all three positions.

He could also eventually heat back up. Until last week, he had been providing solid production at the plate. But there are more reasons to keep him.

Firstly, with most of their veterans traded away last offseason, Nootbaar is the one carrying the torch for this young Cardinals team. They at least need somebody to be that veteran presence in the clubhouse and have him show younger players the way.

At the same time, he also keeps everybody loose and is a big reason why the Cardinals have such a strong clubhouse culture despite their recent struggles. Even in the middle of a rebuild, the Cardinals need somebody to do that for them, and if Nootbaar is traded, it could negatively affect the clubhouse for the remaining months of the 2026 season.

It will be interesting to see who the Cardinals decide to trade, but moving Nootbaar is not a good idea right now because they need somebody to carry the torch and be a leader in the clubhouse for the younger players.