Over the past few weeks, it feels like nearly every member of the St. Louis Cardinals roster has popped up in one trade rumor or another.
Sonny Gray was merely the first domino to fall. Nolan Arenado’s name has been circulating for some time. But the more intriguing questions surround players without no-trade protection. Brendan Donovan has grabbed plenty of attention, yet he’s far from alone. According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, Ken Rosenthal, and Katie Woo, both Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman have become key “pivot points” for teams hunting for affordable left-handed bats.
Which Cardinal Could Be On the Move?
“Other names to watch are Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman, who are seen as pivot points for teams looking to land left-handed help at a lesser price,” Sammon, Rosenthal, and Woo noted. “Gorman, 25, struggled with a high strikeout rate (33.8 percent) for the second consecutive season, but his immense power could tempt teams to take the gamble. Nootbaar, 28, underwent double heel surgery after the season. His Opening Day status is uncertain, although he’s not expected to miss much of April. The Cardinals appear ready to part with at least one of the two to cut down on roster redundancies.”
Gorman has spent the last four years with the Cardinals, with 2023 standing out as his strongest season. At just 23, he hit 27 home runs, drove in 76 runs, and looked like a core piece of the franchise’s future. But the last two seasons have been rocky, making his long-term outlook less certain.
Nootbaar, meanwhile, played a career-high 135 games in 2025 but saw his offensive production dip. His postseason heel surgeries underscore the wear and tear he faced throughout the year.
Realistically, neither Gorman nor Nootbaar carries major trade value at the moment. Gorman has youth on his side, but both players come with notable question marks. Even so, the Cardinals have an overcrowded group of left-handed hitters, making a trade less about pure return and more about clearing space. Moving one of them could open doors for others on the roster to step into bigger roles.
