Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar undergoes heel surgery, eyes return

Outfielder hopes to regain athleticism after procedure to address Haglund's deformity

Feb. 22, 2026 at 4:15pm

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Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar underwent surgery in October on both heels to shave Haglund's deformities, a bone condition at the back of the heel that can cause pain. Nootbaar spent much of the offseason in boots to aid his recovery and is unsure when he'll be able to play in Major League games again, but he has begun throwing and hitting in preparation for the upcoming season.

Why it matters

Nootbaar is expected to be the Cardinals' starting right fielder if healthy, but the heel surgery raises questions about his availability for Opening Day and the start of the season. The 28-year-old believes the condition has "robbed" him of athleticism in recent years, so getting healthy is crucial for him to bounce back and prove himself again.

The details

Nootbaar underwent the heel surgery in October to address Haglund's deformities, a bone condition at the back of the heel that can cause pain. He spent much of the offseason in boots to aid his recovery and has been working on an altered gravity treadmill at a facility in California as part of his rehab. Nootbaar has begun throwing and hitting in preparation for the upcoming season, but he is unsure of when he'll be able to play in Major League games again, saying the team doesn't want to put a specific date on his return to avoid any setbacks.

  • Nootbaar underwent the heel surgery in October 2025.
  • Nootbaar arrived at Cardinals camp on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

The players

Lars Nootbaar

A 28-year-old outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals who is recovering from offseason heel surgery.

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What they’re saying

“We don't really have a date. 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].”

— Lars Nootbaar

“I felt like it's kind of robbed me of athleticism the past few years.”

— Lars Nootbaar

What’s next

The Cardinals will continue to monitor Nootbaar's progress and recovery from the heel surgery, with no set timeline for his return to Major League games.

The takeaway

Nootbaar's offseason heel surgery highlights the importance of player health and the challenges athletes can face in overcoming physical setbacks. If he can regain his athleticism and bounce back from the injury, Nootbaar could be a key contributor for the Cardinals this season.