Beginning what he hopes will be a return to the Cardinals, Lars Nootbaar homered in the first at bat of his first rehab game with Class-A Palm Beach. It is the first game Nootbaar has played in since having double heel surgery last October.
ST. LOUIS – Lars Nootbaar’s path back to the Cardinals and MLB began with a bang on Friday as he homered in his first at bat of his first game of an injury rehab assignment for the Palm Beach Cardinals.
Nootbaar, 28, hit the second pitch he saw from 6-foot-6 left-hander Kyle McCoy to the opposite field and over the wall in left field for a solo home run. Nootbaar was in the starting lineup, playing left field and batting second for Class-A Palm Beach against Daytona Beach at Roger Dean Stadium.
The Cardinals are seeking to recreate a Spring Training feel for Nootbaar, who was playing in a game for the first time since having surgery on both heels to remove Haglund’s deformities back in October. For weeks, Nootbaar has undergone various running tests, while also taking batting practice against pitching machines and live pitching to ready himself for a return to action.
“The progression is what we thought it would be, but there’s not a lot to point to in terms of others who have gone through what he experienced, so we wanted to make sure we were progressing in a way that made sense,” Cardinals’ manager Oliver Marmol said. “We want to make sure we were listening to him, his feedback and his body. But we’re at a spot now where he’s ready and that’s awesome.”
Plagued by numerous injuries early in his career, Nootbaar played a career-best 135 games in 2025. However, a solid start to the season ultimately gave way to struggles at the plate as he battled leg, foot and heel pain throughout. He slashed just .234/.325/.361/.686 with 13 homers, 24 doubles and 48 RBI.
Cards hoping Nootbaar is back by late May
In time, Nootbaar is expected to progress through the club’s Minor League system and will likely get int games with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis before returning to St. Louis. He is eligible to come off the 60-day Injured List on May 25, and the Cardinals are hoping that he will be ready to be activated by then.
Marmol said that as Nootbaar gets closer to a return to St. Louis, he will start thinking more about ways to employ the outfielder in a mix that has revolved around Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, Nathan Church, Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese. Adding Nootbaar to the mix should give the Cardinals another outfielder with a history of getting on base and being able to drive the ball into the gaps.
“I think we’re going to see a better defender bases on his lower half feeling better now,” said Marmol, who noted that the constant pain and fatigued that Nootbaar experienced last season led to him deciding to have the double-heel surgery in October. “His ability to control the strike zone, drive the baseball and take an extremely professional at bat, there’s a lot of value being brought to the table when he’s ready. So, as we edge closer to that (return), it is exciting.”
Join the conversation
Remember to join our CARDINALS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other CARDINALS fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!