St. Louis Cardinals mailbag Part 1: Edman, Nootbaar factor into trade deadline decisions

The St. Louis Cardinals enter July in prime position to make a second-half surge. They’re coming off their best month of play, sit a season-best three games over. 500 and several key players are almost back.

Willson Contreras returned to the Cardinals weeks ahead of schedule, and Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman could join the team within the next two weeks. As president of baseball operations John Mozeliak hones in on the trade deadline, the health of his club will dictate his decisions. Before he decides where to improve his roster, he must first know what it will look like in the second half

That’s where Part 1 of this trade deadline-themed mailbag focuses.

You asked, we have answers. Away we go …

Once Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman are back, how do you see the logjam working out in terms of playing time for the outfielders? Would be hard to imagine a scenario in which Alec Burleson or Brendan Donovan get any less playing time because of their bats, and Michael Siani is both a superb defender and has been hitting better recently as well. — N. B.