Lars Nootbaar returns to Monday’s lineup

“Whether the Astros can meet St. Louis’ asking price is another matter. One source described the Cardinals’ ask as “astronomical,” which does not bode well for a club short on prospect capital,” Rome adds. Nootbar missed most of the first few months of the season and is hitting .241/.347/.366 over 170 plate appearances. Nootbar is under team control through the 2027 season.

Nootbaar didn’t start after leaving Saturday’s game due to dehydration and lightheadedness, but that was probably at least partly due to a left-hander being on the mound for the Reds. Nootbaar entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and stayed in to play three innings in left field.

He was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored before departing. The Cardinals are facing a lefty in Andrew Abbott on Sunday, so Nootbaar might get a day off, at least at the start.

Nootbaar’s home run was his third. He hit a three-run home run off Reynaldo Lopez in the first inning. Nootbaar walked, stole second base and came around to score in the fourth inning. He’s hitting .265 with a .781 OPS and 12 RBI in 102 at-bats.

Nootbaar had a single and a walk earlier in the game before starting the bottom of the ninth inning with a double. While he would come around to score, the Cardinals’ rally would fall one run short of tying the game. Nootbaar continues to mash at the plate since being activated. He’s hitting .291 with an .867 OPS and seven RBI in 16 games.

With left-hander Noah Cameron toeing the slab for the Royals, Nootbaar will get a breather. Fellow left-handed hitters Jimmy Crooks and Nathan Church are also out of the Cardinals’ lineup on Thursday. Nelson Velazquez will start in Nootbaar’s place in left field and will bat cleanup for the Cardinals on Thursday night in Kansas City.

Nootbaar was intentionally walked after hitting for Pedro Pagés in the sixth inning today. In a lefty-lefty matchup with Sam Moll in the eighth, he crushed an 83-mph sweeper 433 feet for his first homer of 2026 and 10th homer in 509 career plate appearances versus southpaws. No one would have been surprised in Nootbaar started slowly in his return from multiple surgeries, but he has two barrels and three hits through seven at-bats. Since he probably won’t start against lefties in the short term, his fantasy upside would seem to be limited. But we’ll see.

The Cardinals aren’t going to push Nootbaar from a workload standpoint by throwing him out there for an afternoon contest following a night game. It’ll be Victor Scott II in center field with Nelson Velázquez patrolling left field. The 28-year-old corner outfielder went 2-for-6 with an RBI on Friday night in his season debut.

Nootbaar made an instant impact during his season debut, collecting a pair of hits, including an RBI double in the sixth inning of Friday’s series opener at Busch Stadium. The 28-year-old reached base safely in two of six plate appearances out of the leadoff spot following a 10-week absence at the outset of the year recovering from offseason surgery on both heels. He’ll have some fantasy appeal in deeper mixed leagues as the Cardinals primary leadoff option against right-handed pitching.

The 28-year-old outfielder missed the first 10 weeks of the season while recovering from offseason surgery on his heels. He finished up a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday and is finally ready to contribute for the Cardinals. He’ll start in left field and bat leadoff against Reds’ right-hander Brady Singer on Friday evening in St. Louis.