MLB insider reports Cardinals Lars Nootbaar discussed internally by interesting contender

Trade rumor season is in full swing with the deadline only three days away. The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the most discussed teams, as they have several interesting trade candidates who could help contending teams. Conversely, those teams have interesting prospects to offer the Cardinals. While most of the discussions have been mere conjecture thus far, a new connection has been made between Lars Nootbaar and an American League contender.

Nootbaar, 28, has a .241/.347/.366 slash line for a .713 OPS and a 103 OPS+. He's still recovering from double heel surgery this offseason, but Noot has been healthy since returning from the Injured List, and he's showing improved athleticism following the procedure. He can capably play all three outfield spots, but he's best suited for left field.

Noot has no plans on being traded. Following Thursday's game, Nootbaar told reporters that he packed light for the trip to Canada to face off against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"I took that game personally and then sat there and kind of thought. If it is, it’s been great -- but I don’t expect anything to happen.”

Nootbaar's return to health and solid production has made him the center of many trade discussions. One team in particular, according to reports, has at least had internal conversations about trading for Lars.

The Houston Astros have had internal conversations about trading for St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar.

Personally, I've always felt Nootbaar was a solid trade deadline piece. All he needed to do was be healthy following his return from the surgery and show relatively positive production. His underlying metrics are still very strong, he's posting plus defensive numbers, and he's an above-average hitter according to OPS+. With the dearth of controllable starting outfielders on the open market, Nootbaar and his 1.5 years of team control are enticing to teams.

I've also always seen the Houston Astros as an excellent fit for Nootbaar.

They've been searching for a consistent left fielder for several years now, and they could use an on-base machine, particularly from the left side of the plate. Luckily, Nootbaar checks all of those boxes.

On Crush City Territory, Chandler Rome, the Houston Astros insider for The Athletic, shared that the Astros have had several internal conversations about Nootbaar's fit in Houston.

"Lars Nootbaar's name has come up internally. He's someone the Astros have discussed," said Rome. "He is the level they could attain, but the price is high on him." Rome mentioned that Nootbaar makes more sense for the Astros than Daulton Varsho and George Springer due to his team control and his on-field performance.

The Astros rank 14th in team on-base percentage (.316) and 16th in walk rate (8.7%). Nootbaar's style of play would boost both of those figures. Houston left fielders have been worth a collective -0.7 bWAR this year as well, and their center fielders (-1.5 bWAR) and right fielders (-0.8 bWAR) haven't fared much better.

The Cardinals are shopping several players, both rentals and those with team control. Lars Nootbaar could get the organization a decent return. The Astros don't have a strong farm system, so the Cardinals would have to either take multiple prospects or a major-league player with control in return.

In terms of prospects, outfielder Kevin Alvarez and infielder Xavier Nayens are the only legitimate prospects Houston has. Right-handed pitcher Bryce Mayer could also be a part of a package. The Cardinals could also attach a pitcher to the deal (Riley O'Brien or Dustin May) to sweeten the package and perhaps net a major-league player.

Either way, trading Lars Nootbaar would show a willingness to delay serious postseason contention into at least 2028.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow