The St. Louis Cardinals’ offseason strategy is becoming clearer by the day: build for the future, even if it means parting ways with fan favorites. And in that light, Lars Nootbaar’s name is starting to surface in trade conversations-particularly with rumblings coming out of Queens before the Luis Robert deal took shape.

At 28 years old, Nootbaar still has two seasons of team control before hitting free agency, which makes him a valuable piece-at least on paper. But the Cardinals’ front office seems to be signaling that Nootbaar may not be part of their long-term blueprint. And when you look at his 2025 season, it’s not hard to understand why he’s on the bubble.

The good news? Nootbaar finally stayed healthy, logging 135 games-no small feat considering his earlier struggles to stay on the field.

The not-so-good news? The production didn’t quite follow.

He posted a .234/.325/.361 slash line with just 13 home runs. That’s a noticeable dip in power, especially when you consider his slugging percentage dropped 56 points from the year prior.

Still, there are things to like. Nootbaar continues to show strong plate discipline-he draws walks at a solid clip and doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone.

He’s a tough at-bat, the kind of hitter who grinds out plate appearances and doesn’t give pitchers easy outs. But with his glove not doing him many favors in the field, the bat has to carry more weight.

And right now, it’s not quite pulling its share.

The biggest question for Nootbaar heading into 2026 is whether he can rediscover his power stroke. The tools are still there-he hits the ball hard, the bat speed is intact-but the launch angles haven’t been doing him any favors.

If he can start getting the ball in the air to the pull side, especially in hitter’s counts, he could force pitchers to adjust. And when pitchers get cautious, Nootbaar’s sharp eye becomes even more valuable.

From the Cardinals’ perspective, Nootbaar represents a potential trade chip with upside. Unlike Brendan Donovan-who’s coming off a career year and could be dealt before Opening Day-Nootbaar’s value isn’t at its peak.

That actually plays into St. Louis’ hand.

Let him start the season, hope he rebounds, and if he does? Suddenly, you’ve got a controllable outfielder with on-base skills and renewed power, right in time for the trade deadline frenzy.

If things don’t go that way-if injuries pop up again or the bat stays quiet-then the return in any deal likely won’t move the needle. But if Nootbaar catches fire and even flirts with All-Star form, the Cardinals could be in position to capitalize on a hot streak and a seller’s market.

Whether Nootbaar ends up as a cornerstone or a trade deadline footnote, he’s been a memorable part of this Cardinals chapter-high-energy, always smiling, and homegrown. But as St. Louis looks ahead, the writing on the wall says this might be the beginning of the end for “Noot” in a Cardinals uniform.