Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Sign Matt Carpenter to Major League Deal

Carpenter will join the Yankees in Tampa during their weekend series against the Rays.

Pat Ragazzo

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The New York Yankees have made a rather surprising move to bring in an aging former three-time All-Star infielder, who has endured a few poor campaigns in a row.

On Thursday, the team announced they’ve signed Matt Carpenter to a major league contract.

Carpenter, 36, was playing with the Texas Rangers’ Triple A affiliate on a minor league deal this season. But in 80 at-bats, Carpenter slashed .275/.379/.613 with a .992 OPS, six home runs and 19 RBIs, which led to his recent request to be released to pursue external big-league opportunities.

Carpenter has been red-hot at the plate in the minors after setting out to fix his swing and revive his career, as ex-National League Central division opponent Joey Votto was able to do. According to The Athletic, Carpenter pursued Votto’s advice during the offseason, which has seemingly paid off.

The Yankees are hoping that Carpenter can re-capture some form of the player he was with the St. Louis Cardinals, as one of the league’s best hitters from 2013 through 2018.

New York lost outfielder Giancarlo Stanton to the I.L. on May 25 due to ankle inflammation, DJ LeMahieu has been out of the starting lineup with a wrist injury and Josh Donaldson remains on the COVID-19 injured list.

Carpenter’s versatility (he can play first base, second base and third base), track record and resurgence were enough for general manager Brian Cashman to take a chance on him, adding another left-handed bat on the major league bench.

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for Sports Illustrated's Mets and Yankees On SI websites. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is frequently heard on ESPN New York FM 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast hosted by Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport.

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