Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Friday that the Houston Astros have formally inquired about Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar as they hunt for a left-handed hitter to boost the outfield.
- Nootbaar is 28, under club control through 2027 and on an arbitration salary of about $5.25 million for 2026, and he has produced roughly league-average numbers after returning from heel surgery.
- St. Louis is in a retool and is listening to offers but has set a high asking price and has top prospect Joshua Baez available as an internal replacement option.
- Sources note Houston can absorb Nootbaar’s remaining salary but faces limited trade chips because its farm system is shallow and the club sits only about $8 million under the luxury-tax threshold.
- Talks are exploratory for now and could hinge on the Cardinals lowering their price or the Astros pivoting to other lefty or center-field targets before the deadline.