Before the first pitch of a regular season could be thrown, the New York Yankees have fallen into deep disrepair. The injury that has cost Gerrit Cole all of 2025 is by far the most punishing blow to the Yankees this season, but while the pitching staff is now a sore spot, general manager Brian Cashman has already signaled that adding another pitcher is out of the question.
Meanwhile, the injury to Giancarlo Stanton is in the process of upending the Yankee offense. Stanton arrived in camp suffering from tennis elbow in both elbows and another mysterious condition. The latest update from Jon Heyman sheds some light on his current situation. This is what he had to report in the New York Post:
“Giancarlo Stanton is said to be dealing with a chronic calf issue as well as the elbow injuries, but the arm pain is the bigger problem. Memorial Day is one optimistic estimate heard for Stanton now.”
Stanton has been hampered by injuries nearly every year since the Yankees acquired him. The fact that this new injury is described as “chronic” also does not bode well for the aging slugger.
With several injuries ravaging the team, Cashman has given fans the notion that he will add some much-needed insurance. The Yankee general manager expressed his desire to pick up a new right-handed bat. Finding a new third baseman, which has become more important than at any time over the offseason, has been tricky to say the least. Right now, there appears very few solutions on the market that match Cashman’s desired budget.
But while Cashman grapples with the opening at third base, replacing Stanton could easily suffice in the meantime. And there might not be any better options on the market than Lars Nootbaar.
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A Yankees-Cardinals trade to give New York Lars Nootbaar
To start, yes, Nootbaar is a lefty. Should this be disqualifying? No!
Nootbaar, though he has had injury troubles in the past few years as well, is one of the most underrated bats in the game. The past two years saw Nootbaar hit for averages of .261 and .244 respectively, but his on-base percentages stayed well above average at .367 and .342. Nootbaar has never hit more than 14 home runs in a season (which he did twice), and the power potential he displayed in 2022 when he set his career high in just 290 at-bats appears to have waned. However, the short-right porch should help his numbers to an extent and the fundamentals are on his side.
According to Baseball Savant, Nootbaar is in the elite 91st percentile in hard-hit rate and in the 88th percentile for average exit velocity. When it comes to chasing pitches, Nootbaar is among the best sitting in the 100th percentile and draws walks at an astounding rate placing him the elite 98th percentile, which explains his great on-base percentage numbers.
His team, the St. Louis Cardinals, are coming out of a failed rebuild where general manager John Moleziak was unable to shed payroll or add meaningful additions. Having gone through a loud but unproductive offseason, Moleziak might have a motive to part with Nootbaar. Seeking to prevent payroll from growing, the Cardinals waged arbitration battles with both Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan. Nootbaar won his case while Donovan lost. Nootbaar will make $2.95 million this season and will be a free agent after the 2027 season.
As for the Yankees, trading for Nootbaar would also give them a reliable outfielder. Jasson Dominguez, who has struggled to adjust to left field, could spend some time at DH while he learns corner outfield defense in a way that creates less pressure for himself. New York might also find a suitable leadoff hitter in Nootbaar. What might a Yankees package for Nootbaar look like?
Roderick Arias, the Yankees’ No. 7 prospect, would headline the package. Arias is prized for his power, speed and his ability to find his way on base. An offense-first middle-infielder, his defense is his main shortcoming. According to scouts, the 20-year-old switch-hitter is proficient at working counts which results in plenty of walks and strikeouts, but his career minor-league on-base percentage of .356 is a satisfactory tradeoff for his whiffs and middling batting averages. In his latest campaign, Arias swiped 37 bags which pairs well with his on-base numbers.
Along with Arias, Yankees’ No. 17 prospect Rafael Flores would be finding a new home in St. Louis. The 24-year-old backstop has been touted for producing some of the highest exit velocities in the Yankees farm system. Flores thrived in High-A and Double-A last season slashing .279/.379/.495/.874 with 21 home runs but his defense behind the dish has left much to be desired. When he reaches the majors, he will likely spend more time at first base.