The 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Will Get Even Better Soon

The St. Louis Cardinals are 23-15 on the season so far and look like a legit force to be reckoned with in the Nationla League.

Right now, the Cardinals are just 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs for first place in the National League Central. Chicago was expected to be very good. The Cardinals, on the other hand, entered the season with very little buzz. The Milwaukee Brewers entered the season expected to be a contender once again after winning three straight National League Central Titles. Right now, the Brewers are 20-16 on the season, which is two games behind St. Louis.

The Cardinals aren't a fluke. St. Louis has consistently beaten good teams and isn't even at full strength yet. Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar hasn't played in a game yet this season after undergoing surgery on both of his heels this past offseason to correct Haglund's deformities.

The Cardinals Outfielder Is Almost Back

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 designated hitter Ivan Herrera (not pictured) in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

It has already been shared that the current expectation is that Nootbaar will kick off a minor league rehab assignment next week. If Nootbaar is ready to go with a rehab assignment next week, a 20-day clock will begin. That's how long position players can stay on a minor league rehab assignment before a club has to bring them back to the majors or option them. So, right now, we're seemingly just a few weeks away from the return of Nootbaar.

Last season, Nootbaar played in 135 games and slashed .234/.325/.361 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs. But he was dealing with the heel issues. In 2024, he slashed .244/.342/.417 with a .758 OPS, 12 homers and 45 RBIs in 109 games played. In 2023, he slashed .261/.367/.418 with a .784 OPS, 14 homers, 46 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 117 games played.

If the Cardinals end up getting this version of Nootbaar back when he returns to the lineup, that will add a boost to St. Louis. The Cardinals have been very good so far. They are eight games above .500 and it's not as if there are any crazy outliers that have gotten the club to this point. The Cardinals are simply playing good all-around baseball and are about to get another good player back into the lineup in the not-so-distant future.

After three straight down years, this is a club that Cardinals fans can and should be very excited about and they are just going to get better.

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