Nootbaar to 60-Day IL, Wetherholt Added to 40-Man Roster

The Cardinal Chronicle
Nootbaar to 60-Day IL, Wetherholt Added to 40-Man Roster
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinals have officially placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar on the 60-day injured list following offseason surgery to address bilateral Haglund’s deformity in both heels.

The move, which had been expected as camp broke, creates a needed opening on the club’s 40-man roster for top prospect JJ Wetherholt, signaling another step forward in the organization’s transition toward its next wave of talent.

Nootbaar, a key piece of the Cardinals’ outfield in recent seasons, is expected to miss at least the first two months of the 2026 campaign as he continues his recovery. While the surgery was necessary to address a lingering issue, his absence will be felt early—particularly in terms of on-base consistency, defensive reliability, and lineup balance.

From a roster standpoint, the timing is significant. The Cardinals are entering the season with a renewed emphasis on player development and internal competition, and Wetherholt’s addition to the 40-man roster reflects both his progress and the organization’s confidence in his future role.

Still, injuries in March have a way of testing a club’s foundation before the first pitch is ever thrown.

For the Cardinals, this becomes an early challenge of depth. Opportunities will open in the outfield, and how the club responds—both in performance and consistency—will help shape the early weeks of the season.

It’s not how you script the start of a year, but in a long season, adjustments are part of the game. The Cardinals now turn to the next man up, trusting that the foundation they’ve built can carry them forward until Nootbaar is ready to return.