The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals just before Monday's Major League Baseball trade deadline, adding a left-handed bat to address a specific gap against right-handed pitching as the team works to hold its wild-card position in the National League.
St. Louis received two pitching prospects in return: right-hander Daniel Eagen and left-hander Sandro Santana. The Cardinals will also receive a player to be named later.
Nootbaar, 28, underwent offseason surgery to address a congenital deformity in both heels and made his 2026 season debut in early June. Since returning, he has posted a 96 OPS+ with strong quality-of-contact metrics and has played all three outfield positions for St. Louis.
His career numbers against right-handed pitching include a.764 OPS with 212 walks in 1,601 plate appearances. His offensive output has been down over the last two seasons, though his batted-ball metrics suggest more is possible in Arizona. Nootbaar is under team control through the 2027 season and is owed the balance of a $5.35 million salary for the current year.
The fit is clear: the Diamondbacks have posted a.784 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season but drop to.677 against right-handers. Nootbaar's patient, OBP-first approach could lift that number and create effects beyond his own line.
Eagen, 23, is the primary prospect heading to St. Louis. The former third-round pick from Presbyterian College has made 20 starts for Amarillo in the Texas League this season, posting a 4.95 ERA while striking out 109 batters in 87⅓ innings. He features a four-pitch arsenal highlighted by a mid-90s fastball with good carry.
Santana, 21, recorded a 3.46 ERA and a 2.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio over parts of four minor-league seasons. Since his promotion to Double-A in 2026 he has posted a 0.57 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 15⅔ innings. The Cardinals, under Chaim Bloom, continue adding pitching depth to their system.
The trade also opens a path for the Cardinals to call up power prospect Joshua Báez later this season. Nootbaar will join former Cardinals teammate Nolan Arenado in Arizona, who was traded there this past offseason.
