Former Padres Infielder Wants to Return for 15th MLB Season

Maren Angus-Coombs | Dec 16, 2024

Jul 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter (13) warms up before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals knew this time last year that their young lineup would need one more strong veteran presence in the clubhouse so they called a franchise legend.

Former San Diego Padres infielder Matt Carpenter answered the call and signed a one-year deal worth $740,000 to go back to the city where he starred from 2011-21 before spending the past two seasons with the New York Yankees and Padres.

After a tough 2023 season where he batted just .176 in 76 games with San Diego, Carpenter was traded to the Atlanta Braves and later released, setting himself up to return to the Cardinals for the 2024 season.

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A large portion of Carpenter's playing time this past season was spent as a designated hitter or pinch hitter. Defensively, he logged eight innings at first base, one at second, and three at third. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference rated his season just slightly below replacement level.

Now, looking ahead to 2025, Carpenter isn't ready to call it a career just yet.

The veteran infielder attended the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas looking for a job to extend his playing career into its 15th season.

"One hundred percent, yeah I do. I think at this point in my career, I feel like I can bring a lot of value to a Major League roster."@MattCarp13 on wanting to return for a 15th MLB season.#MLBTonight presented by @CohnReznick pic.twitter.com/k8hoiRggNW

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 11, 2024

"At this point in my career, I feel like I can bring a lot of value to a major league roster," he said in an interview on MLB Network. "That's my main goal when I talk to teams — the impact I can have in the clubhouse, talking about approaches, building game plans for an upcoming pitcher that we are going to face."

While it sounds like he is on the verge of joining the coaching ranks, he is certain that there is still enough left in the tank to get him through at least one more season.

Ideally, Carpenter would love to return to the Cardinals even if it’s similar the part-time role he had in 2024.

“I’m certainly open to play,” Carpenter told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I like this role. I think considering the role, I feel like I’ve done well in it, and I also think, more importantly, I understand the bigger picture of it. I’d be open to doing it again.”

Carpenter, 39, was an NL All-Star in 2013, 2014, and 2016, earning NL MVP votes in 2013, 2015, and 2018 while with the Cardinals. He was part of the Cardinals’ 2013 World Series team and made seven appearances as a rookie during St. Louis’ 2011 championship season.

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