Lars Nootbaar’s Return Has Cardinals Suddenly Looking Dangerous

The St. Louis Cardinals can maintain this level of play and just got even better thanks to Lars Nootbaar.

Jun 5, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) reacts after hitting a one run double against the Cincinnati Reds during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

For the first time in the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the St. Louis Cardinals were fortunate to have outfielder Lars Nootbaar in the lineup on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds.

*inhales*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!! pic.twitter.com/TdCkaD3CEQ

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 6, 2026

It's been a long time coming. Nootbaar underwent offseason surgery on both of his heels to correct Haglund’s deformities and immediately looked like himself on Friday going 2-for-6 in the Cardinals' series-opening win over the Reds.

Nootbaar's return is a feel-good story in a season full of them for the Cardinals. After the game on Friday, Nootbaar opened up about his return and the "butterflies" that came with it.

The Cardinals Are Even Better Now

Jun 5, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) reacts after scoring against the Cincinnati Reds during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"I had some goosebumps walking out to the outfield and butterflies, you know, before the first inning and first at-bat,” Nootbaar said, as transcribed by MLB.com's Joe Harris. “For me it felt like Opening Day, for the rest of the guys it feels like game 61 or whatever it is, so that calmed my nerves down a little bit, because it wasn't a bunch of angst or anything in the clubhouse. ...

"It reminded me of playing football, where you have all those nerves before the game, and then the first time you get hit, you know, you kind of get over it. And so for this, it was like after the first at-bat, you kind of settle in a little bit.”

The return of Nootbaar couldn't have come at a better time. The Cardinals faced their first bit of real adversity last week. St. Louis is 4-6 over its last 10 games. Now, the club has another legit bat in the lineup at a position of need.

After winning on Friday night, the Cardinals are 33-28 on the season and tied for the top National League Wild Card spot. Arguably, with Nootbaar in the lineup, this is a club that can surprise a lot of people and actually make a run at a playoff spot. They can maintain this level of play. The lineup is very deep. Nootbaar, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, JJ Wetherholt, Iván Herrera, and Masyn Winn are building block pieces. With these guys, plus the solid pitching the club has, this team can win a lot of games.

Early on this season, there were questions about whether or not the club could maintain its early success. Enough time has passed to make the judgment: this club is for real. And now, they're even better.