Diamondbacks Acquire Lars Nootbaar from Cardinals Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Arizona Diamondbacks are acquiring outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals just before the Major League Baseball trade deadline. The Cardinals will receive two pitching prospects, Daniel Eagen and Sandro Santana, along with a player to be named later.

Nootbaar, who is 28 years old, had surgery in the offseason for a congenital issue affecting his heels and made his 2026 debut in early June. He has recorded a 96 OPS+ since returning, showcasing improved quality-of-contact metrics while playing all three outfield positions. His career OPS against right-handed pitchers stands at .764, and he is under team control until after the 2027 season with a remaining salary of $5.35 million for this year.

In the trade, Eagen, a 23-year-old right-hander, has made 20 starts this season with a 4.95 ERA and has struck out 109 batters in 87 ⅓ innings. Santana, 21, has a 3.46 ERA over four minor-league seasons and has excelled at the Double-A level this year. While Nootbaar's injury history poses some risk, he is expected to bolster the Diamondbacks' offense against right-handed pitching as they aim for a wild-card spot.