ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals announced Friday that they have agreed to terms with former Cardinals All-Star Matt Carpenter on a one-year free agent contract through the 2024 season.
The 38-year-old Carpenter, who was drafted by St. Louis in 2009 and debuted in 2011, was a three-time All-Star (2013, 2014 and 2016) during his 11-year tenure with the Cardinals and received National League MVP votes in 2013. 2015 and 2018.
“When you think of players who defined our success in the 2000s, Matt Carpenter's name is synonymous with victory,” said Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. “From the beginning of his career, Matt has shown how hard work and determination can lead to success, and we are excited to have his leadership and experience back in the Cardinals uniform.”
The left-handed hitting Carpenter has compiled a .260/.367/.451 slash line with 175 HRs, 644 RBI, 1,225 hits and an .818 OPS over his career (1,452 games). He led the majors in runs (126), hits (199) and doubles (55) in 2013 – the third-most two-baggers in a season by a Cardinal and the most on the team ever by a left-handed hitter.
Carpenter was a member of the Cardinals' last World Series team (2013) and appeared in seven games as a rookie during the Cardinals' 2011 World Series championship season.
After leaving St. Louis in 2022, Carpenter got off to a strong start with the Yankees this year, batting .305 with a 1.138 OPS and 15 HRs in his 47 games before getting injured. He spent 2023 with San Diego and performed strongly in limited play, posting a .974 OPS and .500 on-base PCT. in the last two months of the season. During last month's winter meetings, he was traded to Atlanta, where he was then granted his release and made a free agent.
Carpenter's name appears on several Cardinals all-time leaderboards, including most home runs in a career (24) and in a single season (8, 2018). He ranks sixth all-time among the Cardinals in bases on balls (699) and eighth in game-winning RBI (73). His 68 career home runs at Busch Stadium III are tied with Yadier Molina for fourth-most in the stadium's history.
Appearing in 56 postseason games with St. Louis, Carpenter's six playoff-round trippers are tied for fifth-most in club history, including a memorable hit on Clayton Kershaw that sparked the Cardinals' 10-9 comeback victory in Game 1 of 2014, NLDS kicked off at Dodger Stadium. “Carp” made six starts at third base for St. Louis on Opening Day, and his 671 career games at the hot corner for the Cardinals are the third-most in team history.