The St. Louis Cardinals have made a significant move, signing free agent infielder Matt Carpenter to a one-year contract. Carpenter, 38, returns to the team where he spent 11 seasons and made three All-Star Game appearances.
Originally selected by the Cardinals in the 2009 amateur draft, Carpenter made his Major League debut in 2011. Over his career with St. Louis, he compiled a solid .260 batting average with a .367 on-base percentage and a .451 slugging percentage. In 1,452 games played, Carpenter recorded 175 home runs, 644 RBIs, and 1,225 hits, with an OPS of .818.
After leaving the Cardinals in 2022, Carpenter had stints with the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres. Despite injuries, he made a strong impact with the Yankees and finished the 2023 season on a high note with the Padres.
Carpenter was a member of the Cardinals team that reached the World Series in 2013 and also played in seven games with the team in 2011 when they were last victorious. His return to St. Louis has fans hopeful for a resurgence of his earlier success with the team.