Throughout the hours leading to the MLB trade deadline, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar was involved in trade talks.
However, just minutes before the deadline, the Cardinals traded the 28-year-old to the Arizona Diamondbacks, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold and ESPN’s Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzales. St. Louis will acquire Arizona’s No.13 prospect, right-handed pitcher Daniel Eagen, left-handed pitcher Sandro Santana, and a player to be named later.
Goold shared a picture of Nootbaar hugging Cardinals manager Oli Marmol ahead of the official announcement.
He’s being traded, per source (and also you know pictures). #stlcards
Most notably, the San Diego Padres showed interest while hunting left-handed bats. Their NL West rival came from behind and got Nootbaar while in search of a lefty.
Nootbaar is under club control through 2027.
Lars Nootbaar Looks to Stay Healthy With New Team
After spending the first five-and-a-half seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Lars Nootbaar will move on to the NL West with the postseason contending Arizona Diamondbacks.
Nootbaar has dealt with lingering heel injuries to both feet. He missed the first two months of this season while recovering from bilateral surgery to shave down Haglund’s deformities in both feet.
Nootbaar returned from the injured list on June 5 following a rehab assignment. He was an everyday starter for the Cardinals up until getting traded to Arizona.
Through 48 games this season, Nootbaar is batting .234/.333/.354 with three home runs and 16 RBI. He had returned in electric fashion, finishing with a .306 batting average in June. He has since slowed down to a .169 batting average in July.
Lars Nootbaar to Fill in For Max Kepler During Postseason
Arizona was in search for a left-handed bat that can fill in for Max Kepler during the postseason (if the Diamondbacks make it).
Kepler, 33, returned to the Diamondbacks lineup on June 5 after serving an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for epitrenbolone; a banned performance-enhancing substance in the MLB.
In result of the suspension, Kepler will not be able to play during the postseason for the Diamondbacks. Because of the MLB’s joint drug prevention and treatment program, Kepler will be unable to compete during the postseason.
In comes Lars Nootbaar.
Arizona was able to get Nootbaar, who has MLB experience playing in all three outfield positions.
Similar to Kepler, Nootbaar also bats left-handed. So far this season, the 28-year-old is batting .258/.354/.383 with two home runs and 13 RBI against right-handed pitching this season.
Not just this, but the Diamondbacks were desperate to get another solid bat. Arizona is currently ranked in the bottom half of the MLB in batting average (.241), on-base percentage (.313), slugging (.392), and OPS (.705).
Nootbaar and the Arizona Diamondbacks will look to remain a team in the Wild Card in the National League. With a 59-53 record, Arizona holds a one-game lead for a spot in the postseason.
Diamondbacks Trade for Long-Time Cardinal Minutes Before Deadline: Report