The one player Cardinals cannot afford to trade and why

The St. Louis Cardinals are starting to slip in the standings a bit. 

They have lost their grasp on an NL wild-card spot amid a four-game losing streak, as they now sit a half-game behind the Pirates and Diamondbacks for the final playoff berth.

The team seems to be trending towards selling at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. While what they can sell might be limited, there are still a few pieces they can move for the right price.

However, there is one player that must be off limits in trade talks, and that is outfielder Lars Nootbaar. Here is why.

Why Cardinals Must Keep Lars Nootbaar

Granted, the Cardinals have a lot of players that they can't afford to lose, including Michael McGreevy, Jordan Walker, Ivan Herrera, JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson. But a trade of Nootbaar would be a bad idea.

First, the Cardinals have played better than expected. For all their flaws, they do have good team chemistry, and a big part of that is having Nootbaar.

In addition, it's a very young clubhouse, and Nootbaar and Dustin May are the oldest players on the roster, making them the veterans of the team.

Even though the Cardinals are rebuilding, it's important for Chaim Bloom to at least keep one or two veterans around. With Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Brendan Donovan gone, Nootbaar is the leader in the clubhouse, and if that is taken away, regardless of whether the Cardinals buy, sell or stand pat, it could have a negative effect on the rest of the team.

Nootbaar is also a fan favorite and trading him would not be a popular move with a fanbase that is just starting to get invested in the team again.

Finally, Nootbaar actually adds a lot of value to this current Cardinals team. He can play all three outfield positions and provide elite defense, and he is also producing well at the plate.

His season started late due to offseason heel surgeries, but since coming back in June, the 28-year-old is hitting .256/.362/.402 with three home runs, 12 RBI and a .764 OPS. He even has a 14.5 percent walk rate and is somebody that can get on base and set the table for St. Louis.

As such, it does not make sense for the Cardinals to trade Nootbaar. Perhaps the best course of action would be to offer him a contract extension next year. His deal expires after the 2027 season.

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