is back with the Cardinals.
In an offseason when the club already had signed pitcher Lance Lynn to a one-year free-agent deal and brought the former World Series champion back into the fold, the Cardinals doubled down on familiar faces by signing the veteran slugger Carpenter in hopes of adding veteran leadership to a largely inexperienced clubhouse.
A former three-time All-Star, Carpenter returns to the club that drafted him in 2009 (13th round) and where he spent he鈥檇 spent his career from its start through the 2021 season.
鈥淚鈥檝e got a lot emotions right now, my phone has just been blowing up with a lot of old friends reaching out,鈥 Carpenter said on Friday afternoon. 鈥淚 just want to thank Mr. DeWitt, Mo, the front office for giving me this opportunity, being back here in a Cardinals uniform where it all started. I feel like I鈥檓 coming home to a great family.鈥
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He signed a one-year major-league contract for the major-league minimum with the Cardinals on Friday.
Carpenter said he viewed the opportunity to put a Cardinals uniform on again as a 鈥渘o-brainer.鈥
Carpenter, 38, returns to the Cardinals after having spent time with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres after leaving 狐狸视频 following the 2021 season.
Carpenter fills the Cardinals鈥 last remaining 40-man roster spot with a little over four weeks before the club鈥檚 first full-squad workout of spring training.
Less than five hours after the club announced his signing, Carpenter said he鈥檇 already received messages or calls from nearly every coach and staff members from his previous tenure with the Cardinals as well as former teammates and many players he hadn鈥檛 yet met.
鈥淚 think the thing I鈥檓 most excited about is the opportunity to be a veteran on a team that鈥檚 had the privilege to wear that uniform as long as I did and now be able to speak to some of the young guys who are doing it for the first time,鈥 Carpenter said.
鈥淧laying in 狐狸视频 is such a privilege, but there is certainly an expectation. There鈥檚 some pressures that go with it. This is a tremendous franchise that has won for many years and expects to win every year.鈥
Carpenter said he often found the expectations of the Cardinals 鈥渙verwhelming鈥 in his first few seasons in the big leagues. He credited veteran players for taking him under their wing and helping him through that.
Now, he鈥檚 looking forward to being that presence for young players like Masyn Winn and Jordan Walker. Carpenter described it as though it were almost a responsibility.
鈥淭he conversations that I have with these guys, if it helps speed up that learning curve that I went through, to me, that鈥檚 worth it,鈥 Carpenter said. 鈥淚 will take more pleasure in that that any kind of personal success.鈥
Carpenter will provide a veteran presence among the position players alongside star and third baseman Nolan Arenado on what is a largely inexperienced roster.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has referenced multiple times the lack of 鈥渧eteran voices鈥 in the clubhouse last season when he鈥檚 discussed the targeting of free-agent pitching additions Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lynn. Carpenter鈥檚 addition follows that same thread.
鈥淧art of it is leadership by example, but I also think part of it is the ability to speak up when you see something,鈥 Mozeliak said Friday afternoon.
鈥淟ast year, I think a lot of that was falling on Goldy a lot, and I just think that is pretty demanding. So I feel like, from a clubhouse standpoint, it鈥檚 just nice to have someone that understands expectations and isn鈥檛 afraid to share their opinion on it.鈥
Feedback from manager Oliver Marmol as well as Goldschmidt and Arenado played into the pursuit of Carpenter.
鈥淲hen you have people that are advocating for you to be on this club, that鈥檚 helpful,鈥 Mozeliak said. 鈥淚 do think a lot of what they were telling me makes a lot of a sense in trying to address it. I鈥檓 hoping it works.鈥
Mozeliak first reached out to Carpenter the day he got released by the Atlanta Braves, and discussions had been ongoing since. However, Carpenter wanted to get through the holidays before he made his decision.
His most recent stint in the majors came last season with the Padres, where he batted .176 with five home runs and a .641 OPS in 76 games.
The Padres traded Carpenter to the Braves in December, but the Braves released him three days later. The Braves are responsible for paying him the remaining portion of the two-year, $12 million deal he signed prior to the 2023 season ($5.5 million).
Carpenter has been working out with his former teammate and this offseason, and that helped pave the way for his return to the Cardinals.
Mozeliak said the club got first-hand feedback as well as 鈥渉ard data鈥 that led them to believe he鈥檇 made progress with his bat speed and his exit velocity.
鈥淔rom a baseball standpoint, my mentality is I鈥檓 entitled to nothing and I鈥檓 grateful for everything that I get as far as an opportunity to play,鈥 Carpenter said. 鈥淚鈥檒l be ready when my name is called and try to have the most competitive at-bats that I can have.鈥
As a Cardinal from 2011 to 2021, Carpenter batted .262 with an .816 OPS and a 122 OPS+ over 1,329 games. He made his major-league debut during the 2011 season, though he did not play in the postseason leading up to the World Series championship. He was part of the 2013 National League championship club.
Carpenter made the NL All-Star team in 2013, 2014 and 2016. He received NL MVP votes in three seasons (2013, 2015, and 2018) as a Cardinal with his best finish being fourth place in 2013, when he led MLB in doubles (55) and hits (199).
鈥淚 think he understands where he is personally in his career,鈥 Mozeliak said of Carpenter. 鈥淲hen you think back to his last year here, he was still hoping to play every day. Now, he also would tell you that, 鈥業f I鈥檓 performing well, I hope I get opportunities.鈥 I think that鈥檚 a fair ask, and we鈥檒l see how things play out over the course of the season. But I do think he continues to add more flexibility for us.鈥
The Cardinals鈥 40-man roster is full after the Carpenter signing with about four weeks until their first workout in Jupiter, Florida.
How likely are they do make more roster additions before spring training?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know,鈥 Mozeliak said. 鈥淚 still think there鈥檚 some things that we are looking and trying to pursue, so we鈥檒l see where that goes.鈥