​Another weekend of travel brings me to St. Louis for the Braves series, which means an earlier-than-usual Sunday story. Before I dive in, I want to give a shout-out to the fans who keep showing up. I’ve been here two days, and both nights have been a blast, including last night in the Tarps Off section. The vibe is welcoming for everyone—unless you’re wearing the visiting team’s gear—and the routine shenanigans aren’t overbearing. A final nod to Jordan Walker for the nice toss.
The Cardinals have given us plenty to grouse about over the past week, but Wednesday’s team win at least paused those feelings for another 24 hours. Beyond the win, Oli Marmol continued to tinker with the lineup and moved Lars Nootbaar to center field for the fourth time since being activated from the injured list.
Nootbaar has long been graded as an above-average fielder in nearly every season except the last couple, and it’s possible we’ve undersold his defense in the outfield due to the lingering heel issues. Since surgery, he’s been sprinting better, contributing more with the glove, and lengthening the lineup with a solid left-handed bat. All told, Nootbaar’s return has been a boon for the team both on the field and in the clubhouse.
Since the start of last season, Victor Scott II looked like the only guaranteed everyday outfielder, while Nootbaar battled injuries and Jordan Walker appeared to underperform markedly. Even with Nootbaar on the shelf, Scott’s leash grew shorter as Walker’s plate appearances climbed to All-Star levels. Nathan Church seized the everyday job from VSII, and the Cardinals cycled through a mix of Jose Fermin, Thomas Saggese, and Bryan Torres in left field until Nootbaar returned to full strength.
As Church’s bat settled into league-average territory, Marmol saw an opportunity to test a new outfield arrangement. The promotion of power-hitting Nelson Velazquez brought him into left field, with Nootbaar shifting to center. On the surface, that alignment might give any pitcher nightmares when a ball is hit in the air, but the newly heel-adjusted Nootbaar has held up well in center for the most part, with late-game defensive shifts allowing him to move back to a corner when necessary.
In the small sample since his return—four center-field chances in 28 games—Nootbaar has made every play his way. He might not boast the range of defensive wizards like Scott or Church, but routinely making the plays is a meaningful contribution. With Church and Nootbaar both hitting left-handed, any improvement in Nootbaar’s game could unlock more opportunities for him to contribute offense. “But Scott, why does it have to be Noot OR Church? ¿Por qué no los dos?”
The upside of Nootbaar’s center-field capability is the potential for roster flexibility and increased trade value. If he can handle center even at a functional level, it makes him less likely to be sacrificed for immediate needs and could open up a path for a promotion for Joshua Baez. This season, the capacity for Nootbaar to play center at least at a minimal level adds strategic depth to the lineup and could influence how the Cardinals navigate their outfield depth going forward.