Lars Nootbaar’s Recovery Timeline Revealed Ahead of 2026 Season

It may be a long absence for the fan favorite.

Sep 7, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) singles in the fifth inning for an RBI against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been busy in trades this offseason. Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras have all been shipped out, and now the fanbase is awaiting the word on Brendan Donovan, who could bring back the most in return.

However, as the Cardinals look to clear out their logjam of left-handed hitters, they may be without one for a long time. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar had surgery on both heels at the end of the 2025 season, and his status for Opening Day is in question.

Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat provided an update on the veteran outfielder's recovery timeline.

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When will Nootbaar return?

Aug 31, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) high fives teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly out hit by third baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"Nootbaar is recovering from double heel surgery, and the team has been circumspect about when they expect him to return to competition, which takes him off the board for at least the season’s opening weeks, to say nothing of spring training," Jones wrote.

It appears as though the Cardinals will begin the season without Nootbaar, which further highlights the need for an outfield bat as spring training approaches. A right-handed hitting outfielder than can play center field would make sense for them.

Nootbaar has been injury-prone for much of his career, and he missed a lot of time in 2025. He also had one of his worst years at the plate, hitting .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI and a .686 OPS.

Despite his struggles at the plate though, he has remained a solid defensive player, and when he is able to stay healthy, he can be a table setter for the Cardinals in their lineup, so getting him back will be very important.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals are just going to have to wait a little while before he returns to action, and that could ultimately lead to them making another move this offseason to strengthen their outfield depth.

No definitive timetable was given, so it could at the very least take the first month of 2026 before the Cardinals see Nootbaar in action again. They'll miss his defensive presence out in left field for a while, but it will be interesting to see how the Cardinals respond to this and if they will ultimately look to add another outfield bat in free agency.

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