JUPITER, Fla. -- Lars Nootbaar arrived in Cardinals camp Wednesday unsure of when he'll be able to play in Major League games again.
Nootbaar underwent surgery in October on both heels to shave Haglund's deformities, bone at the back of the heel that can cause pain. He spent much of the offseason wearing boots on both feet to help his recovery but was no longer wearing them at camp.
“We don't really have a date,” Nootbaar said of his return. “We don't want to put a date on anything like that. So we're just going to make sure that everything's healthy and we don't go through this whole process [just to] have to go backwards [due to a setback].
“You kind of get anchored down when you're in two boots for a while. Pretty boring offseason, just Monday through Saturday, going in and doing [physical therapy].”
As part of his rehabilitation Nootbaar had been working on an altered gravity treadmill at a facility in California. His absence was approved by the club, as its newly renovated Spring Training complex does not yet have such a machine.
“I just felt like I wanted to be there as long as possible, but also at the same time, just knew that I wanted to hit a certain mark over there [in my progress], but come here [as well],” Nootbaar said. “I think it's important for me to be here with the team, with the staff, showing my face and making sure that guys around here know that I'm here -- and build a relationship with the team, with the new guys.”
Nootbaar has begun throwing and hitting in preparation for playing this season. At 28 years old, he is the second oldest position player on the Cardinals' 40-man roster. If healthy, he is no question the club's starting right fielder on Opening Day -- but it is more likely than not Nootbaar will need more time than that.
“I've had no hiccups from the first day that they've allowed me to [start training], and so that part of it is good,” Nootbaar said. “In terms of the next couple of weeks, not sure exactly what it'll look like, but I'm sure I'll just be in here doing PT inside the training room.”
He doesn't know how many plate appearances -- whether they come in Spring Training or Minor League games -- he'll need to be ready to return.
“My buddy would always tell me, you want 40 before you enter the season -- whether that's live at-bats or Spring Training at-bats -- and so that's kind of a number that's in my head,” Nootbaar said. “But I don't have a set number. It's kind of a feel thing with baseball.”
A career .242 hitter with 58 homers across five seasons, the left-handed-hitting Nootbaar struggled to a career-worst .686 OPS in 135 games last season. His best seasons were in 2022 and '23, when he crushed 28 homers and had a .786 combined OPS. But Nootbaar believes the condition contributed to various injuries and prohibited him from playing his best.
“I felt like it's kind of robbed me of athleticism the past few years,” Nootbaar said.
Like many veteran Cardinals, Nootbaar has been the subject of trade rumors during an offseason in which Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras were all dealt. The Cardinals decided to keep Nootbaar, hoping a bounceback season is primed now that he's healthy.
But having the surgery was as much about his quality of life as it was about improving his play on the baseball field.
“There were points the past couple years where I couldn't walk up and down stairs without really gripping a rail,” Nootbaar said. “And so I just felt like I was 27 going on 28 now, and I was just like I know guys played through pain, but this feels a little bit more than what people probably play through on a daily basis.”