The St. Louis Cardinals face several difficult choices this offseason after finishing with a 78-84 record and missing the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
With Chaim Bloom taking over as president of baseball operations, the team is expected to start a rebuild once the World Series concludes. As part of that process, they may consider trading some players to teams in playoff contention.
Among the players who could be traded is outfielder and fan-favorite Lars Nootbaar, as the Cardinals have a lot of left-handed bats in their mix and could decide it’s time to clear out the logjam. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report lists Nootbaar as a possible trade chip. Here are two potential fits for the 28-year-old outfielder.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals struggled offensively in 2025, which played a key role in them missing the playoffs despite finishing 82-80 and placing third in the AL Central. One of their biggest weaknesses was a lack of production from the outfield, making an upgrade at that position a logical move.
Lars Nootbaar posted a .234/.325/.361 slash line with 13 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .686 OPS this season. While those numbers were underwhelming, a fresh start with a new team could help him turn things around — and with the Royals aiming to contend in 2026, taking a chance on him could be worthwhile.
Even with Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez, the Royals didn’t get much offense this season, but Nootbaar could be a solid addition. He brings speed and elite defense and can also give them an upgrade offensively.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers can never be counted out when any player becomes available, either via trade or free agency. They always seem to have room for any type of upgrade.
Nootbaar is from Southern California and was drafted by the Cardinals out of USC in 2018. But the Dodgers may need a fourth outfielder next season with Michael Conforto hitting free agency.
Going to Los Angeles would allow Nootbaar to have a homecoming of sorts and a chance to play for a World Series contender. He is under club control for two more seasons, and the Dodgers could easily find a fit for him if they are the ones to trade for him.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Nootbaar is part of the Cardinals’ sell-off this coming offseason and where he might end up, but the Dodgers could be an interesting fit for him.
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