Cardinals Rising Star Reportedly Could Return Next Week After Early Injury

St. Louis could have one of its top young players back next week

Feb 19, 2024; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) plays catch at / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals -- like many Major League Baseball clubs -- already are nursing some injuries.

Opening Day has come and gone and now St. Louis is three games into the 2024 campaign. The Cardinals won their first game of the season on Saturday but haven't been at full strength yet.

The Cardinals are dealing with a plethora of injuries with ace Sonny Gray certainly being the most prominent. While this is the case, St. Louis also is dealing with a few other ailments.

One player who hasn't appeared in a game yet this season is rising star outfielder Lars Nootbaar. The young outfielder has been dealing with a rib injury since Spring Training but he reportedly could make his season debut next week, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

"Cardinals (left fielder) Lars Nootbaar took 4 (at-bats) and got in 5 innings of work today in a simulated game in (Florida), manager Oli Marmol said," Denton said. "The likely next step, Marmol said, is Nootbaar playing at Triple-A (Memphis) on (Tuesday and Wednesday). He’s eligible to come off the (Injured List) Thursday, but that’s not a certainty."

While it isn't guaranteed that Nootbaar will return next week, it sounds like a strong possibility if his rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues goes well. Nootbaar is expected to play a major role for St. Louis this season.

Nootbaar had the best season of his young career in 2023 as he clubbed 14 home runs, drove in 46 runs, stole 11 bases, and slashed .261/.367/.418 in a career-high 117 games. St. Louis certainly could use his production and it sounds like it won't have to wait long.

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