Beloved Cardinals All-Star Called Someone Who Shouldn't Return

Will the Cardinals bring the fan-favorite back in 2025?

Aug 20, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Matt Carpenter (13) hits a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The 2025 St. Louis Cardinals certainly won't look exactly the same as the 2024 roster.

St. Louis -- like every other club in baseball -- will be active this winter. This could lead to some additions but also some subtractions. The Cardinals certainly need to take a hard look at the roster after two straight seasons of missing the playoffs.

FanSided's Josh Jacobs put together a list of eight players who shouldn't return in 2025 and mentioned fan-favorite Matt Carpenter.

"However, as the Cardinals turn a new page with this roster and organization, the same should be done when it comes to Matt Carpenter's spot on the roster," Jacobs said. "I'd love to see Carpenter return in some kind of capacity as a coach. Players like Alec Burleson have credited him with key adjustments in his game, and he's clearly someone that players respect. Having him around this club is a good thing; just not as a player anymore.

"Carpenter has actually been better than most people would have expected from him this year, posting a 101 wRC+ on a .238/.322/.385 slash line. Even so, it's hard to advocate for him taking up another roster spot going into what would be his age-39 season. Carpenter's limited defensive versatility also hurts his case. He's started 39 games at DH, and just six games at other positions."

Carpenter, at one point, was a superstar for the Cardinals, but he is nearing the end of his big-league career. Although he has been better than expected this season, Jacobs isn't wrong.

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