After spending a month on the injured list with an oblique strain, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is set to begin a rehab assignment Friday at Double-A Springfield.

Nootbaar, 26, has not played since May 29, when his two hits gave him seven total hits in a span of four games as he was just starting to recover from a slow start. Nootbaar started the season on the injured list with a rib injury.

In 39 games this season, Nootbaar was batting .234 with five home runs and 19 RBIs. Over four seasons with the Cardinals, the acclaimed defensive outfielder is a career .244 hitter with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs in 322 games.

St. Louis has been without infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman all season as he nears a return from wrist injury that required surgery in the offseason.