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The St. Louis Cardinals have spent the first six weeks of the season proving they can survive without Lars Nootbaar. Now they are getting dangerously close to finding out what this lineup looks like with him back.

And that should concern the rest of the National League Central.

Because while much of baseball expected the Cardinals to struggle early without one of their most important outfielders, the opposite happened. St. Louis entered Tuesday at 24-17 and firmly in the middle of the division race despite missing Nootbaar for the entire season following offseason surgery on both heels.

Now, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the veteran outfielder may finally be nearing the final stages of his recovery.

Goold reported that Nootbaar had a “great day” Tuesday in Florida and could begin a rehab assignment and return to game action as early as this weekend.

That update carries far more significance than a normal injury report.

Because the Cardinals are not simply waiting for another roster piece to return. They are waiting for one of the few players on the roster capable of changing the entire rhythm of the lineup.

The Cardinals Have Already Built Momentum

GettyLars Nootbaar #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on September 7, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images)

That is what makes this situation so interesting.

St. Louis has managed to stay competitive without one of its best on-base threats. The Cardinals entered the week ranked 10th in Major League Baseball with 192 runs scored while relying heavily on lineup depth, situational hitting, and offensive consistency.

But there is still another level this offense could reach.

Nootbaar brings patience, power, defensive versatility, and energy that few players on the roster consistently provide. Even when he is not hitting home runs, he impacts games by extending at-bats and forcing pitchers into difficult counts.

The Cardinals have spent much of the year piecing together outfield production while trying to maintain offensive balance. A healthy Nootbaar immediately changes the flexibility of the lineup and gives manager Oliver Marmol another reliable option near the top of the order.

The National League Central remains tightly packed, and small roster upgrades can quickly shift momentum during the summer months. St. Louis has already surprised people around baseball by staying afloat through injuries. Getting Nootbaar back could push the Cardinals from competitive to legitimately dangerous.

Health Remains the Biggest Question

GettyLars Nootbaar #21 of the St. Louis Cardinals catches a line drive against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third inning at Busch Stadium on August 26, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

That optimism also comes with real concern.

Nootbaar’s problem has never been talent. It has been staying on the field consistently enough to fully establish himself as one of the franchise’s long-term cornerstone players.

Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his momentum throughout his career.

That is why the Cardinals will almost certainly remain cautious during this rehab process, even with encouraging updates beginning to surface publicly. Teams rarely discuss rehab assignments unless players have already cleared important internal benchmarks, but St. Louis also understands the risk of rushing him back too quickly.

Especially after heel surgery.

Still, the tone surrounding this latest update feels different.

The Cardinals sound increasingly confident that Nootbaar is finally moving toward game action instead of simply progressing through workouts behind the scenes. That distinction matters because it signals the organization believes his recovery is becoming sustainable.

And if that proves true, the Cardinals may soon add one of the most important missing pieces in the National League Central race.

Because for a team already winning games without Lars Nootbaar, his return could feel less like a normal activation and more like a major midseason acquisition.