For 11 years, Matt Carpenter made rain and shine with the Cardinals. He has been an important member of the franchise.
Then we let him go. He signed a minor contract, in 2022, with the Rangers… before getting his chance with the Yankees.
Mustachioed, not wearing batting gloves and exciting at bat, he has become an icon in 2022.
We will remember that subsequently, in 2023, the Padres gave him a two-year contract. He wasn't great and the Padres, who needed money, looked to get rid of him.
Result? The Braves said this: give us a good reliever and we'll take Carpenter's contract on top of that. It was done…and Carpenter was released by Atlanta.
So he was a free agent…until he signed with the Cards again. And that was in the last minutes.
The Cardinals will give him $740,000. They didn't need to give him more since the Braves are already giving him $5.5 million in 2024.
There, the Braves will therefore save $740,000. The player will therefore not make more money than expected.
In recent years, the Cardinals have lost Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright. All three men retired last year or this year, in the case of the pitcher.
And last year, without Molina, it showed.
Recovering a little of the past in 2024, the year in which the club will try to find its way back to respectability, will undoubtedly be a small balm for the fans.
It remains to be seen what role he will have in 2024 with the Cards, who also brought Lance Lynn back to the fold.
