Matt Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a one-year deal for the 2024 season, per the St. Louis Cardinals (X). Carpenter is officially back where it all started and where he spent the first 11 seasons of his big league career.
Carpenter had this to say on his return...
There's no place like home... Beyond excited to put on this iconic uniform again.. so extremely grateful for this opportunity.. and can't wait to see the best fans in baseball back at Busch.. 2024 is gonna be a big year for the Redbirds and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.
Quote from Matt Carpenter's recent post on Instagram
Carpenter was just about out of the league in 2022 before the New York Yankees needed some depth and signed Carpenter. Carpenter then went on to rejuvenate his entire career when he slashed .305/.412/.727 with 15 home runs for the Bombers.
His short stint in New York (AL) was enough to earn him a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres. His time in San Diego saw a turn for the worst when he slashed .176/.322/.319 with just 5 home runs.
He now goes back to where he is most known and where his best days of his career occurred. Carpenter earned three all-star selections, finished top 12 in MVP voting three times, and finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.
Carpenter was a constant in the Cardinals lineup for 11 straight seasons. He slashed a career .262/.368/.449 with 155 home runs. He will now get the chance to add onto those numbers, as he heads back to St. Louis.
Matt Carpenter has put together a great career for himself and his rejuvenated 2022 helped him get another shot in the big leagues. Carpenter's playing time is uncertain and as a whole, he seemingly is near the end of his career. This one last shot in St. Louis is just one of the many reasons why baseball can be such a great sport.