Cardinals Already Have Perfect Lars Nootbaar Replacement for Opening Day

There needs to be more production in left field.

Sep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) at bat against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will likely begin the 2026 season without Lars Nootbaar. The veteran outfielder underwent surgery on both heels last offseason, and he still hasn't been cleared to run the bases at spring training.

This has led the Cardinals to experiment with Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin in left field this spring. Both are options to take the starting job for opening day. But what if there was another option that made sense?

Last year, the Cardinals gave Ivan Herrera some time out in left field. Defensively, the experiment didn't go well, but they at least got some production out of the position. In that case, giving Herrera the nod in left field for opening day could make sense.

Herrera vs. other options in LF

Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) reacts after hitting a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Defensively, it might be a downgrade, but with the Cardinals rebuilding, it makes sense to at least try it out, especially since Herrera has taken some reps in the outfield this spring outside of games.

It would be a temporary solution, but when looking at the numbers offensively, Herrera is more of a sure thing. He hit .284/.373/.464 with 19 home runs, 66 RBI and an .837 OPS. Meanwhile, Nootbaar hit just .234/.325/.361 with a .686 OPS.

Herrera would also be a better option offensively than either Saggese or Fermin. It also makes sense given that the Cardinals have a lot of catching depth and are still unsure about Herrera's future at that position. This would allow them to leave catching duties to Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo, and it would clear up some at bats at the designated hitter position for somebody like Nolan Gorman, while also clearing third base for former Gold Glove winner Ramon Urias or possibly even Saggese.

The Cardinals had been searching for a right-handed outfielder with some power. They couldn't find that in free agency, so they landed on Urias, an infielder, but Herrera would give them that option if he were to take some more reps in left field.

They would get better offensive production out of that position while they wait for Nootbaar to return and be able to fill that hole internally rather than having to go out and add a bat in free agency, as there aren't many options left on the market.

It also wouldn't force them to try players out at positions that they have little to no experience with. Granted, Herrera doesn't have much experience in left field, but he does have some, and giving him that runway would allow him to become more familiar with the position and potentially clear up some at-bats for other players.