The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that three players recently underwent surgeries. Lars Nootbaar had operations on both heels, Brendan Donovan had sports hernia surgery on October 7, and Ivan Herrera had bone spurs removed from his elbow on October 15. According to MLB.com’s John Denton, Nootbaar’s procedure involved shaving down Haglund’s deformities, while Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has reported the recovery timelines for all three players.
Nootbaar, 28, is coming off his most durable season in the majors, appearing in a career-high 135 games and surpassing 500 plate appearances for just the second time. His only injured list stint came in late July due to a rib issue, followed by a brief absence in August for a knee problem. Despite staying mostly healthy, Nootbaar’s production at the plate dipped. He posted a .234/.325/.361 slash line with a 96 wRC+, both career lows. Although his plate discipline held steady, his power declined sharply — his .361 slugging percentage and .128 ISO were both personal worsts for the outfielder. Nootbaar is arbitration-eligible this offseason, with MLBTR’s Matt Swartz projecting a $5.7 million salary.
Donovan endured an injury-plagued 2025 season as well, missing significant time with a groin strain in August after attempting to play through it. He appeared in only eight games over the final weeks of the season. Before the injuries, Donovan had been enjoying a breakout year. He hit .329 through May and earned his first All-Star selection, despite dealing with turf toe earlier in the year. While his production dipped in the second half, he still posted career highs in batting average and slugging percentage with a solid 119 wRC+. Donovan is also entering arbitration, projected for a $5.4 million salary.
Herrera battled multiple injuries throughout the year, though his recent elbow issue was his first upper-body concern. He missed time in April with knee inflammation and later with a hamstring strain. The young catcher made a strong impression early, driving in 11 runs in the first week of the season, highlighted by a three-homer game. Even after returning from injury, he remained productive, carrying an OPS above .900 before the hamstring setback. Though he struggled midseason, Herrera rebounded with a stellar September, finishing his first full MLB campaign with a .284/.373/.464 line.
With several catchers on the roster, Herrera spent much of his time at designated hitter, even seeing occasional outfield action as the Cardinals sought ways to keep his bat in the lineup. Depending on offseason moves, Herrera is expected to maintain a regular role in 2026, either behind the plate or as a DH.
The Recovery timelines for all three players in uncertain as reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and this should worry the fans.