Nootbaar is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Nationals, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar will rest Friday after starting six consecutive games, yielding to Dylan Carlson in right field. Nootbaar is 6-for-20 with a solo home run and a double since the All-Star break.
Nootbaar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-2 win over Atlanta.
This was Nootbaar's second homer in 10 games since he returned from an oblique injury. The outfielder is batting .256 and slugging .462 in that span while posting a 2:8 BB:K. For the season, he's at a .239/.328/.417 slash line with seven homers, 21 RBI, 18 runs scored and four stolen bases through 205 plate appearances.
Nootbaar went 1-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in a 9-5 win over Atlanta in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
The outfielder collected three hits on the day after going 2-for-3 with a walk in a 3-2 loss in the matinee. Nootbaar is batting .250 with a home run and two doubles across nine games since he returned from an oblique injury that cost him more than five weeks. For the season, Nootbaar is slashing .237/.325/.401 with six homers, four steals, 20 RBI, 17 runs scored, nine doubles and a triple over 201 plate appearances. He's operated as the Cardinals' top right fielder since his return, though he occasionally shifts over to center when Michael Siani is out of the lineup.
Nootbaar went 2-for-8 with a solo home run, an additional run and a double Wednesday across both games of a doubleheader against Kansas City.
Nootbaar was a quiet 0-for-4 in Game 1 but came to life with a solo homer and a double in the nightcap. These were his second and third games since the outfielder returned from a nearly six-week-long absence due to a strained oblique. Nootbar has started each of the Cardinals' three games (twice in right field and once in center) since his return, so he seems to be locked into a near-everyday spot in the team's lineup.
