Nootbaar about to begin rehab assignment

ST. LOUIS -- Forgetting that his teammate was still on the mend from a painful oblique strain, Cardinals’ catcher Pedro Pagés playfully tossed something to Lars Nootbaar in the clubhouse last weekend. When Nootbaar twisted at the trunk and caught the object thrown his way without any pain, they both smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Pagés said, ‘Wow, you’re [healed]!’ And I said, ‘Exactly, I’m good to go,’” Nootbaar said before the Cardinals' 11-4 loss to the Reds. “A week or so ago, I would have been hesitant to do anything like that, but I’m in a pretty good spot. Sneezing is all right, and even that let me know that I was starting to work my way back. When sneezing wasn’t too bad, that’s when I knew I was all right.”

Word that Nootbaar would be starting a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield was one of the few bright spots on Thursday for the Cardinals, who saw right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas get shelled for 12 hits and nine runs over 4 1/3 innings. Mikolas came into the night 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA over four starts in June, but he never stood a chance against a Reds lineup that has historically hit well against him.

Mikolas pitched out of a jam and limited the damage to one run in the first inning, but he surrendered another run in the second. Then came three more in the third inning and Spencer Steer touched him for a two-run homer in the fourth after Nolan Arenado had gotten the Redbirds back within striking distance with a two-run homer of his own.

“I kind of stunk, the bullpen was a little short-staffed out there and it was not a good day for me to stink,” Mikolas said. “I’ll work my tail off in between starts to make sure that doesn’t happen again. … Today was a bad day to stink.”

On the injured list five times in 2023 and the first half of the 2024 season with thumb, back groin, ribs and oblique maladies, Nootbaar is hopeful that he is about to begin an extended stretch of good health. Many of his injuries have been unavoidable and downright unfortunate -- he sprained his thumb sliding into third base; he hurt his back and fractured two ribs after colliding with the outfield wall; as for the groin injury, it happened when he fouled a pitch off his lower abdomen. And the latest injury? It came about when he checked a swing in Cincinnati on May 29, knocking him out of action during one of the Cardinals' best stretches of baseball all season.

Nootbaar, who has been limited to 39 games with the Cardinals this season because of the injuries, hopes to be a part of a playoff push when he returns.

“It’s been a lot of contact stuff and it’s unfortunate and I’m just trying to work my way back and get back out there soon,” said Nootbaar, who has hit .234 with five home runs, seven doubles and 19 RBIs after the rib injury and before the oblique strain. “I’m trying to do everything that I can to stay on the field. I love watching these guys play, but having a uniform on is a lot better.”

The Cardinals' lineup will likely be a lot better with Nootbaar healthy because of his ability to work counts and make pitchers pay when they make mistakes in the zone. The Cardinals have been able to weather another injury to Nootbaar with the emergence of Alec Burleson, who went hitless in four at-bats on Thursday, but is 28-for-93 (.301) with seven home runs and 18 RBIs in his past 24 games.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Nootbaar’s rehab stint will be more about him getting his timing down and getting his legs back under him than rehabilitating from the oblique injury. Nootbaar is scheduled to start and play five innings in the field for Double-A Springfield on Friday.

“From a timing standpoint, he needs to get to where he’s ready before he returns,” Marmol said. “Also, we just want him feeling good and that’s equally as important as recovering.”

Nootbaar said he’s eager to attack the rehab stint and work his way back so that he can try to make up for lost time.

“It’s just about making sure that my body’s ready to play those nine innings, recover and wake up the next day and feel fine,” he said. “Obviously, timing is a big thing. You don’t want to try and get your timing back in the big leagues, but I am anxious to get back here. Whatever plan they have for me will be perfect and then I’ll be ready to go.”