Following this week's Cardinals roster news that Nelson Velazquez would begin the season in AAA and JJ Wetherholt would begin the season in St. Louis, there was really only one remaining shoe left to drop prior to Opening Day: How, exactly, would the Cardinals fit Wetherholt on the 40-man roster?
The decision point on Lars Nootbaar was part of that conversation, as the team knew it could place Nootbaar on the injured list with a 60-day designation instead of the standard 10-day version. Doing so would clear a spot on the 40-man roster, a spot that could then be occupied by Wetherholt.
After deliberating on Nootbaar's expected timeline for a return to action as he recovers from off-season heel surgery to correct Haglund's deformities in both heels, that's the direction the Cardinals chose, officially announcing Wednesday that Nootbaar will begin the season on the 60-day IL.
The Cardinals determined that Nootbaar could be expected to miss enough time that calling it a full two months wouldn't substantially alter his path for a return to play, providing the club a path of least resistance for including the exciting rookie Wetherholt while not being forced to expose anyone from the 40-man roster to waivers at the outset of the season.
With Wetherholt's presence expected regularly in the St. Louis lineup at second base, the competition for opportunity in left field is likely to include heavy doses of Nathan Church and Thomas Saggese, with Jose Fermin also competing for playing time in the Cardinals outfield during Nootbaar's absence.
The degree to which Jordan Walker does or does not lock down daily playing time in right field, as well as the frequency of Ivan Herrera's opportunities behind the plate vs. at designated hitter, could serve to influence how hefty the playing time could be for the remaining candidates in the outfield mix.