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Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images David Kohl-Imagn Images

Cardinals $2.9 Million Fan-Favorite Predicted To Leave St. Louis

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The only thing that is guaranteed for the St. Louis Cardinals is the fact that changes are coming over the next few months.

There's so much noise out there already. But, the only thing that is guaranteed is that Chaim Bloom is taking over as the president of baseball operations and relieving John Mozeliak. With any move of that size in the front office, you're always going to hear about the possibility of roster changes. That's especially the case with the Cardinals who have been one of the most talked about teams in baseball over the last year when it comes to guys who could leave the team.

With just nine games left in the regular season, there's going to be plenty of chatter about who could return and whose time in St. Louis could be coming to an end. At this point, it's all speculation because the team itself hasn't give heads or tails to anything. But, one name that has been thrown around a lot is outfielder Lars Nootbaar. FanSided's Josh Jacobs is the latest to predict Nootbaar won't be back in 2026.

The St. Louis Cardinals have decisons to make

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

"While many Cardinals players have disappointed this season, Lars Nootbaar is near the top of that list," Jacobs said. "For years, Nootbaar has been the guy that many Cardinals fans and pundits have waited to break out, myself included. During his first full season in 2022, Nootbaar posted a 123 wRC+ while boasting a great feel for the strike zone and underlying power waiting to be tapped into. In 2023, Nootbaar posted a 118 wRC+, and in 2024, he was 14% above league average. 2025 presented Nootbaar with the chance to make himself an indispensable part of the club moving forward, but instead, he's had his worst season of his career.

"In 99 games so far, Nootbaar has a .237/.324/.368 slash line with 13 home runs and 47 RBI while splitting time between the lead-off spot and the bottom half of the order. He mostly stayed healthy this year, but eventually proved that he still can't stay on the field consistently. At this point, Nootbaar is just two years from free agency, has been injured every year of his career, forcing him to miss significant time, and he's not having the worst season of his career."

Nootbaar is someone who could bring back a pretty penny. There's been a lot of speculation about his future, from myself included. With the team the way is trending, Nootbaar could bring back a solid package because he's under team control, is cheap, and is very talented. He made just over $2.9 million this year and has two more years of control. His status under team control may not fit the Cardinals' path to contention, but he could bring back one of the best packages of players on the roster right now.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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