ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals are reuniting with another longtime member of the team for the 2024 season.
On Friday, the team announced that it signed 38-year-old former all-star Matt Carpenter to a one-year deal for the 2024 season. Carpenter played with the team from 2011 to 2021. He was a member of the New York Yankees in 2022 and the San Diego Padres in 2023.
Carpenter was sent to the Atlanta Braves as part of a trade last month. The Braves released him three days later and will be responsible for paying the remaining $5.5 million from a two-year contract signed in December 2022. The Cardinals will pay him the league minimum salary for any time he spends on the major league roster.
During his previous stint with the Cardinals, Carpenter was named an all-star three times, won a Silver Slugger award and finished as high as fourth place in MVP voting. He led the team in home runs multiple times while playing all over the infield and serving primarily as a lead-off hitter.
In his final two seasons with the Cardinals, Carpenter's batting average was below .200, and the Cardinals declined the club option on his contract for the 2022 season, making him a free agent.
Carpenter joined the Yankees in the middle of the 2022 season and was one of the hottest hitters in the league before breaking his foot. He had 15 home runs and a .412 on-base percentage in 47 games for the Yankees.
In December of 2022, he signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Padres last offseason, but hit just five home runs and posted a .176 batting average in 67 games.
Carpenter joins a team with multiple left-handed-hitting options in the lineup and coming off the bench. Brendan Donavan and Nolan Gorman have provided left-handed hitting on the infield for the team since Carpenter left after 2021, and the outfield features two lefties and two switch hitters.
After his signing, Carpenter was listed on the team's depth chart at first base, second base and third base, the three positions he played during his first stint with the team.
Pitchers and catchers report for spring training on Feb. 14. Position players will have their first practice on Feb. 19.
The regular season starts on March 28 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The home opener will be on April 4 against the Miami Marlins. Single-game tickets are on sale now.