Lars Nootbaar Sparks Cardinals’ Offense as Slump Comes to an End
From Opening Day through the end of May, Lars Nootbaar has played a pivotal role at the top of the St. Louis Cardinals lineup. As the team has climbed the standings, it’s become clear that Nootbaar’s performance often mirrors the team’s success—when he thrives, so do the Cardinals.
Consider the numbers: in games the Cardinals have won this season, Nootbaar leads all qualified hitters on the team in slugging percentage (.538), OPS (.949), RBIs (24), home runs (7), walks (20), and runs scored (25). But in losses, his production drops significantly, with the lowest batting average (.174), slugging (.250), OPS (.526), and just 3 RBIs. His presence at the plate is a clear barometer for how the offense performs overall.
Nootbaar Breaks Out in a Big Way
On Tuesday, Nootbaar snapped out of a slump with a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk, leading the Cardinals to a 7-4 win over the Orioles. In the eight games leading up to that, he had been in a major funk, slashing just .125/.171/.156 with a .328 OPS and -8 wRC+, while driving in just one run. The team struggled alongside him, ranking in the bottom five in MLB in wRC+ (77) during that span.
This isn’t new for the Cardinals—Nootbaar was placed in the leadoff spot early in the year because of his ability to jumpstart the offense. He’s a disciplined hitter who wears down pitchers, gets on base, and produces runs both by scoring and driving them in. He’s the spark plug that makes the lineup go.
Key Role in the Cardinals’ Batting Order
With manager Oliver Marmol’s lineup construction, Nootbaar finds himself in the middle of everything—either setting the stage for hitters like Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras, and Ivan Herrera, or knocking in players like Jordan Walker and Victor Scott. Often, he’s doing both.
While others on the team—such as Donovan, Herrera, Scott, and Winn—could fit the leadoff mold, Nootbaar brings a rare combination of patience, pop, and on-base ability that makes him the ideal table-setter.
Consistency Is Key Moving Forward
Slumps are part of baseball, and the best hitters find ways to keep them brief. Even though Nootbaar’s recent cold streak was severe, he limited it to about a week. Before the slump, he was hitting .260/.374/.434, good for an .807 OPS and 129 wRC+—strong numbers for any top-of-the-order hitter.
Currently, his wRC+ sits at 117—just above his career mark—but if Tuesday’s breakout game is a sign of things to come, that number should climb back into elite territory soon.
While players like Donovan and Herrera have been among the Cardinals’ most consistent performers in 2025, Nootbaar’s presence remains vital. When he’s locked in, the whole lineup seems to click—and the Cardinals are hoping his hot bat will help carry them through the end of May and beyond.
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