The Rangers are looking for several new bats as they look to, as GM Ross Fenstermaker indicated at season’s end, improve their on-base percentage and contact skills. Newly installed manager Skip Schumaker has already spoken about finding a new offensive identity. One potential target who had popped up on the Rangers’ radar, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar. Goold writes that the Cardinals are open to hearing what other clubs will offer on Nootbaar and adds that the Rangers and at least one other AL club had shown interest in the 28-year-old outfielder. That, however, came prior to the public revelation that Nootbaar was undergoing surgery on both heels to address Haglund deformities.
At present, it’s not clear whether Nootbaar will be ready for Opening Day. Newly minted Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said two weeks ago that Opening Day is neither firmly off the table nor a guarantee for Nootbaar. His readiness (or lack thereof) is still up in the air and hinges on the speed of his recovery. It’s also not clear to what extent (if any) the procedure has cooled the Rangers’ interest.
Even if Texas is out on Nootbaar entirely, the team’s interest in him is telling in some regards. On paper, the Rangers seem to have a full outfield. Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Adolis García are currently projected to line up from left to right field. However, García is coming off two consecutive poor seasons at the plate and projected to earn more than $12MM in what’ll be his final trip through the arbitration process. Given his recent struggles, mounting price tag and the Rangers’ desire to improve their on-base and contact skills, García stands as a trade candidate or non-tender candidate. Interest in Nootbaar, whose best defensive grades have come in right field — the same position García occupies in Texas — at least supports the notion that García is on somewhat shaky ground.
Nootbaar’s projected $5.7MM salary in arbitration is less than half that of García. He also sports one of the lowest chase rate on balls out of the strike zone, per Statcast: 26th lowest among (21.5%) among the 215 big league hitters who took at least 400 plate appearances in 2025. García, conversely, has the 26th-highest chase rate at a whopping 35.1%. Nootbaar’s 20.4% strikeout rate isn’t all that far south of league average, but it’s several ticks lower than that of García. Additionally, Nootbaar’s contact rate is about four percentage points higher than average, while his swinging-strike rate is about 3.5 percentage points lower than average.
There’s little sense in reading too heavily into one individual target, but interest in Nootbaar supports the idea that the Rangers, who had the tenth-highest chase rate in MLB as a team and the eight-worst walk rate, are looking for a different type of approach at the plate. Nootbaar, like García, draws strong defensive marks for his corner outfield work. He lacks García’s raw power but still makes hard contact at plus levels.
The salary discrepancy between the two players is of some note, too. When announcing at season’s end that Bruce Bochy would not be returning as the Rangers’ manager, president of baseball operations said that when Bochy was hired in 2022, the team had “a little more certainty in terms of payroll” before adding, “We don’t have that at this point” (link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News).
That doesn’t necessarily indicate that Texas will gut payroll in extreme fashion this winter, but Nootbaar’s salary is far more palatable than a projected $12.1MM for García. Texas finished the 2025 season with a payroll north of $224MM and currently is projected for a $198MM payroll in 2026 (per RosterResource) before making a single offseason move.
I’m good unless they send Sonny gray and 20 million as well.
I could see all kinds of trade possibilities with the Rangers. Arenado perhaps with Jung coming back. Burger is from the St Louis area too.
Jung is better then Arenado at this point I wanted him 5 years ago.
If Arenado is healthy hes better. Jung is who knows what.
The only way I’m doing that is if you give us Sonny gray and Nolan and pay most of their contracts.
Arenado isn’t bringing back anyone with potential. All you’re doing with an Arenado trade is shedding some dollars off the books. Acquiring an asset is a non option today.
I agree
Arenado can bring back something if salary is paid. Of course he has negative value with the contract. Nootbaar has positive trade value. Rangers could use Romero he certainly does too. A deal could be worked out assuming the Rangers are going for it and the Cardinals are not.
You can pay his salary down to $0 and Josh Jung is still more valuable. Arenado is 35 and doesn’t look like he has anything left offensively.
Combine that with the fact that he only wants to play for a handful of teams and has a NTC. The cards will either value a small cash saving & a roster spot or they can hang on and hope he goes back in time in the first half. Today he’s bringing back as much as Ramon Urias.
Arenado was playing pretty well the first half of last year. Look it up. He fell off because he got hurt and was playing through it. The question is can he ever get fully healthy again.
I think if you paid his salary down to 0 he has more value than Jung. Not a lot more but more. Jung is a question mark who knows what he is.
I wouldn’t trade a Jung baseball card for Arenado
Sonny gray contract paid rangers might do it.
Gray has to accept the trade just like Arenado would. I think he might. Cardinals could use Jung, maybe Burger, and pitching prospects like that guy from Tennessee the Rangers just drafted Russell. The Cardinals drafted Doyle and Franklin from Tennessee last year so he could be a good fit and fills a need.