Noot has been out the whole season so far with Haglund’s deformities in both of heels requiring off-season surgery. He is currently on a rehab stint in Palm Beach, where he is looking healthy, hitting a home run in his first plate appearance on the very first swing. The veteran (on a very young team) will be a huge addition to the clubhouse chemistry and will slot right in with Nathan Church on the 10-day IL <\/a>for a shoulder strain. <\/p>\n His on-base persona will be huge for generating runs to an already lethal offense <\/a>that ranks 12th in all of MLB. Not only is Noot good for the Cardinals brand, but he is a borderline global superstar<\/a> who will only bring more attention to the team that deserves recognition for what they are accomplishing. <\/p>\n Did Lars Nootbaar lose a role through time time he missed?<\/p>\n Nootbaar has missed just enough time for this to be an interesting dilemma for the team going forward. Nathan Church has been a key contributor to the team’s success so far in 2026 and is expected to continue where he left off once he returns from the IL. Church has posted a 0.9 WAR with 5 HR and 18 RBI across 27 games with elite gold glove defense in left field. His offensive numbers have declined in May, which now looks apparent due to injury.<\/p>\n The once bench platoon role guy has shown a strong 2026 and has more than deservedly earned his starting role going forward. Nootbaar has a chance to reclaim his starting prowess <\/a>in the everyday lineup, but he will have to battle Nathan Church for the left field spot. <\/p>\n
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