Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Slumping Star Expected To Return Vs. White Sox

The Cardinals slumping star should be back soon...
Patrick McAvoy|
Aug 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; A detailed view of a baseball glove and St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout during the game between the Cardinals and the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Aug 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; A detailed view of a baseball glove and St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout during the game between the Cardinals and the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals need a reset and luckily have Monday off.

The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight games, including Sunday's Father's Day affair against the Milwaukee Brewers. St. Louis now is 37-35 on the season and in third place in the National League Central behind the Chicago Cubs and Brewers.

It's been a rough go for the Cardinals over the last week or so overall. One guy who specifically has felt the struggles is outfielder Lars Nootbaar. From June 5th through June 13th Nootbaar went 1-for-32 from the plate. His batting average dropped from .252 to .226 over that stretch.

St. Louis gave him a breather over the last few days offensively, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch shared that he is expected back in the lineup on Tuesday.

"Manager Oliver Marmol said his preference is to go without using Nootbaar until Tuesday, when the Cardinals open a series on the south side of Chicago," Goold said. "'Just meet-us-in-Chicago-type thing,' Marmol said. 'Take a breather and let’s get back on track. He’ll find his way out of this.'

"Nootbaar had never struck out more than three times in a big-league game before this season, and Friday night’s four-K evening was his second in the past week."

Nootbaar has been an important piece from the top of the Cardinals' lineup this season. If St. Louis is going to make a run at a playoff spot this year, it needs Nootbaar at his best. Hopefully, this little reset gets him back on track.

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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