St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar will take his first day off of the season on Tuesday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Michael Siani will replace him in center field and will hit eighth in the batting order against Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. Nootbaar has gotten off to a nice start in 2025, batting .302 (13-for-43) with two homers, a double and six RBI in 10 games, but he has just one hit in his last 14 at-bats. Siani has started the year by going 1-for-4 with two runs scored, a walk and two strikeouts in his nine appearances. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter will be a poor DFS option in the eight-hole against one of the best young arms in the game in Skenes. Siani has faced Skenes seven times in his career and is hitting .143 with a .429 OPS.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar went 2-for-3 with two walks, a homer, and two runs scored in a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. Nootbaar kicked off the scoring for the Cardinals with a leadoff homer in the first inning. The veteran outfielder is off to a fast start in 2025, picking up six hits, including two homers, over 13 at-bats thus far. Nootbaar will look to continue the hot hitting as the calendar flips to April.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is starting in left field and is back in the leadoff spot for the team's second game of the season on Saturday against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Joe Ryan at Busch Stadium. As a result, shortstop Masyn Winn will hit ninth for the second game in a row to begin the season. Nootbaar will see a notable boost in fantasy value if he sticks atop St. Louis' batting order in 2025 against right-handed pitchers. The 27-year-old got a good start on Opening Day on Thursday by going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run to help beat the Twins, and he'll hope to keep it going this weekend. Although he has only faced Ryan three times in his career, he has taken him deep once and driven in two runs. Nootbaar has struggled to stay on the field since 2023 due to injuries, but if he can stay healthy in 2025, a breakout campaign could be coming.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar launched a two-run home run as part of a 2-for-4 performance in a win over the Twins. He led off in this game against a right-handed pitcher, which is a positive sign for his future fantasy outlook. Nootbaar came into 2025 with some sleeper appeal after slashing .290/.420/.565 in September to close out last season. He posted an excellent 49.5% hard-hit rate and walked at a 12.8% clip in 2024. He has the skills to be a fantasy difference-maker if he can put it all together, and he is worth a speculative add in any leagues where he is available.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is starting in left field and batting leadoff for Monday's exhibition game against Triple-A Memphis, with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold noting that it's the same lineup that manager Oliver Marmol plans to use on Opening Day this Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. Meanwhile, shortstop Masyn Winn is hitting ninth for the Red Birds. Although this setup could change eventually and is likely to be different against a left-hander, Winn's short-term fantasy upside will suffer after he hit just .080 (4-for-50) with no homers an RBI, two steals and 16 strikeouts in 55 plate appearances over 17 Grapefruit League games this spring. Nootbaar, meanwhile, hit .268 (11-for-41) with a homer, seven RBI and one steal in 18 games. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter could be a nice asset for on-base percentage in deep-mixed leagues as outfield depth.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar had a huge game on Sunday, going 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI. Nootbaar added a double and two runs scored in what was his best game of the season. While it was a great game, the 26-year-old just hasn't been able to live up to the potential he showed a few years ago, where he showed 20/20 capability. It hasn't helped that he has once again been injury-prone, and at this point Nootbaar will need to show fantasy managers something more before he becomes a viable option in standard leagues.

The St. Louis Cardinals are without outfielder Lars Nootbaar for Tuesday's game against the New York Mets, the third time in the last four games he has been out of the lineup. In addition to Nootbaar, infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan is out against Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Jeffrey Springs. Nootbaar is replaced in the lineup by Victor Scott II, who is batting ninth in the order and playing in center. Nootbaar is hitting .234/.324/.388 with seven homers, 23 RBI, 21 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 62 games. His absence will not be felt in standard fantasy leagues, while NL-only fantasy managers may have to consider a dip into the waiver wire if Nootbaar continues to remain out of the lineup.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar and second baseman Nolan Gorman are not in the team's lineup on Monday against the New York Mets. The Mets will be sending left-hander Sean Manaea to the mound to start Monday's makeup game, so the left-hitting Nootbaar will take a seat on the bench. The 26-year-old has struggled to put up consistent numbers in 2024, as he is hitting just .234 with seven home runs, 10 doubles, and 23 RBI across 62 games this season. As a result, he isn't necessarily an add in most 12-plus team leagues. Tommy Pham, Alec Burleson, and Victor Scott II will occupy the three outfield spots in Monday's makeup game.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar will take a season on Saturday against Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon. Nootbaar is typically penciled into the starting nine against right-handers, but Saturday will be an exception. Instead, Brendan Donovan will move to the outfield which opens up the keystone for Nolan Gorman. In his past seven games, Nootbaar has gone 3-for-17 with just one extra-base hit. Both Donovan and Gorman have been in a slump at the plate as well and should be faded in DFS competitions this afternoon as Taillon carries a solid 3.25 ERA and 0.99 WHIP since the middle of June.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar turned in a solid performance in his team's Wednesday doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals. Nootbaar combined to go 2-for-8 with a homer, two runs, and an RBI across both games. After going hitless in Game 1, Nootbaar bounced back to blast a solo shot over the fence in the second inning of Game 2, giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead. On the year, Nootbaar is hitting .235 with six homers, 16 runs, 20 RBI, and three steals over 153 at-bats. He is showing signs of heating up of late, batting .333 over his last seven contests.

The St. Louis Cardinals activated outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and optioned infielder Jose Fermin to Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. It remains to be seen if Nootbaar will be back in the starting right away on Monday against the hosting Washington Nationals, but the 26-year-old should be a lineup regular now that he's back from a strained oblique that has kept him out for around the last six weeks. He went 6-for-23 with two home runs in seven games during a minor-league rehab assignment, so he looks to be in good shape at the plate for his return to the big leagues. Nootbaar's career has been littered with injuries to this point, but his power/speed combination makes him intriguing in most fantasy leagues, even if it's just as a bench option. Before getting hurt, he was hitting .234 (33-for-141) with five homers, 19 RBI and three stolen bases.

The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) could return to the MLB lineup as soon as Sunday afternoon. Manager Oli Marmol mentioned in his pregame comments today that he has a call scheduled with Nootbaar post-game to see how he is feeling on his rehab assignment. Marmol suggested that if Nootbaar feels he does not need any more at-bats in Triple-A Springfield, he could be activated tomorrow. In 164 plate appearances this season, Nootbaar is hitting .234 with five home runs, 15 RBI, three stolen bases, and 14 runs scored. He should step into a full-time job with daily at-bats once activated from the IL.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Friday with Double-A Springfield. Nootbaar told reporters on Thursday that the plan is to play five or six games before returning to St. Louis. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since late-May due to an oblique strain. When healthy, Nootbaar is a solid contributor in fantasy formats. He has been off to a slow start to 2024, but Nootbaar does have a good track record. He should be able to return to the Cardinals lineup in early July.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) has been taking full swings this week and is almost ready to begin taking batting practice. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol was optimistic that Nootbaar returning soon, though the outfielder will need a rehab assignment prior to joining the active roster. The lefty was hitting for a solid .742 OPS before he strained his oblique in late May. In Nootbaar's absence, Alec Burleson has been receiving more playing time in the Cardinals' outfield. When Nootbaar returns it should be expected that Burleson returns to DH more often. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Nootbaar's return until around the All Star game, given that there will be no setbacks. In the meantime, Burleson is a fine fantasy option who is currently hitting for a 109 OPS+.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) is likely to miss an extended period of time. On Friday, Cards manager Oli Marmol told reporters that Nootbaar is dealing with a moderate oblique strain that is expected to force him to miss several weeks. An extended absence usually requires a stint minor league rehab stint as well. Fantasy managers should expect Nootbaar to be out at least a month. In the meantime, Alec Burleson should see increased playing time going forward.

The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 30) with a left-oblique strain on Friday and recalled infielder Jose Fermin from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Nootbaar is most likely going to miss more than 10 days after injuring himself on a check swing during the win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The oft-injured 26-year-old opened the year on the IL as well due to fractured ribs and has been very frustrating to roster in fantasy. He's still worth holding onto if you have the room in deeper leagues, though, as he was hitting a strong .313/.418/.552 with four home runs in his last 79 plate appearances. Nootbaar's injury will mean more consistent playing time for Alec Burleson and Dylan Carlson, as well as veteran Matt Carpenter.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (side) was removed from Wednesday's win over the Cincinnati Reds early in the bottom of the eighth inning after he appeared to strain something in his left side on a check swing in the top of the seventh inning. Nootbaar stayed in the game for an inning before eventually being replaced by Dylan Carlson in right field. Before departing, the 26-year-old went 2-for-4 with two singles and a strikeout to raise his season average to .234 with a .741 OPS. For a player that has already had his fair share of injuries early in his career, this isn't a good sign and could easily send him back to the injured list after he got a late start to the 2024 season. If Nootbaar's injury keeps him out for 10 days or more, Carlson will get a boost in playing time. Check back for more news on the specific nature of Nootbaar's injury.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (hamstring) is back in Tuesday's lineup against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and left-hander Andrew Abbott. After dealing with tightness in his left hamstring for the past two games, Nootbaar will return for the Cardinals sooner than expected to start in right field and bat second on Tuesday. The 26-year-old on-base machine is slashing a modest .227/.338/.409 with five home runs, 19 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three stolen bases over 155 plate appearances (37 games) as an everyday player in St. Louis' outfield this season, so he's been very limited from a fantasy perspective. The lefty-hitting Nootbaar has gone just 8-for-44 (.182) with no homers against left-handed pitching, and he won't be a recommended DFS option against Abbott.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (hamstring) is not in Monday's lineup due to a hamstring injury. Nootbaar was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to this issue and will once again be sitting on the bench. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol expressed that the injury us "day-to-day" and that "we don't see it lingering." For now Nootbaar should remain stashed and could be activated as soon as later this week. As a result, Dylan Carlson will man right field and should be faded in DFS as he will face Cincinnati southpaw Nick Lodolo, who enters Monday with a 3.34 ERA and stellar 0.94 WHIP.

The St. Louis Cardinals scratched outfielder Lars Nootbaar (hamstring) from their game on Sunday against the division-rival Chicago Cubs after he felt a twinge in his hamstring on Saturday. Manager Oliver Marmol said Nootbaar could easily play through it, but he thought it best to rest Nootbaar in the series finale. St. Louis' starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds isn't posted yet, so fantasy managers will need to check back to see if Nootbaar is back in there before returning him to your starting lineups. With the 26-year-old out on Sunday, veteran Matt Carpenter served as the team's designated hitter in the win. Nootbaar got a late start to the season due to injury and is now hitting .227 (30-for-132) with five home runs, 19 RBI, three stolen bases and 14 runs scored in 2024 in his first 37 games played.