The St. Louis Cardinals have opted to rebuild over the course of the next few years. They swung four massive trades this offseason to bring in a haul of prospects.
Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras were all traded this offseason. The Cardinals cleared a lot of money and spots on their roster while adding to their farm system. But they may not be done making big moves.
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Joey Schnieder of KTVI recently predicted the Cardinals would opt to trade outfielder Lars Nootbaar over the course of the coming months before this year’s trade deadline.
Lars Nootbaar could be moved over the coming months
Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) hits a one run single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“When healthy, Nootbaar provides critical on-base skills and lineup versatility. But he’s missed significant time the past three seasons – around 150 games – with a variety of injuries from thumb issues, rib fractures and oblique strains,” Schneider wrote. “Nootbaar could be a free agent after the 2027 season, and there’s a chance that next year’s MLB campaign could be interrupted due to player labor negotiations.
“With Nootbaar, the Cardinals also have a wealth of left-handed big-league hitters, and that would only continue with Wetherholt’s arrival. Given all of these factors, plus the Cardinals still being in the early stages of a roster rebuild, the Cardinals will likely at least entertain offers on Nootbaar and see if they can maximize value. Many contenders will likely look for controllable outfield help midseason.”
Nootbaar makes a lot of sense as a trade chip. He’s unlikely to remain with the Cardinals beyond his current contract. Using him as a trade chip should net the Cardinals another solid haul of prospects while clearing a spot in the outfield for another young player. Somebody like Thomas Saggesse could be utilized in the outfield.
Either way, the Cardinals have a lot of options right now because they’re not seemingly pushing for a World Series title. If they want to explore more potential Nootbaar trades, this is the perfect time to do so.
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