Popular St. Louis Cardinals' OF Diagnosed with Fractured Ribs

Unfortunately, the Cardinals are also dealing with an injury to Tommy Edman, who appears unlikely to start Opening Day, so this is a tough climb for the position player group.

The 26-year-old outfielder gained popularity last spring as he helped Team Japan win the World Baseball Classic. His friendship with Shohei Ohtani has also been something fun to watch develop.

He got 426 at-bats last year and hit .261 while posting a .367 on-base percentage. Nootbaar hit 14 homers and drove in 46 while stealing 11 bases.

He made his major league debut in 2021 and became a regular in 2022. Lifetime, he's a .246 hitter with 33 homers and 101 RBI.

The Cardinals finished in last place last season in the National League Central but are looking to bounceback in a big way this year. In addition to having position player stars like Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado already established, the team went out and spent money on lots of pitching this offseason. They signed veterans Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. Gray also unfortunately is dealing with an injury and may not ready for Opening Day either.

The Cardinals open the season March 28 against the loaded Los Angeles Dodgers.