Latest news with #MattCarpenter
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Cardinals All-Star Announces Retirement from Baseball
After more than a decade of doubles, homers and big October moments, he's officially calling it a career. Veteran infielder Matt Carpenter officially announced his retirement from baseball Wednesday morning on the Sports Spectrum podcast Get In The Game. Carpenter, 39, spent 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 12 with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he became a fan favorite and a three-time All-Star. He finished his career with 1,185 hits and an .812 OPS with many of his most memorable moments coming in a Cardinals uniform. Advertisement 'I had quite a thrill being able to don the St. Louis Cardinals logo for many years,' Carpenter said during the interview. Drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 2009 draft, Carpenter made his MLB debut in 2012 and slashed .294/.365/.463 across 114 games in his rookie season. He finished sixth in the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year voting. His breakout came in 2013, when he won a Silver Slugger at second base and led the NL in hits (199), runs (126) and doubles (55). St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Matt Vizer-Imagn Images Though not on the postseason roster for the Cardinals' 2011 World Series run, he earned a ring for his brief contributions earlier that season. Advertisement Carpenter also had short stints with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres before returning to St. Louis for the 2024 season. He had considered playing in 2025, but with the organization prioritizing younger talent, the fit wasn't there. Beyond the numbers, Carpenter was beloved for his clutch performances and his connection with the Cardinal fanbase. Following the news, tributes poured in on social media. 'Hopefully will be wearing a red jacket sometime in the near future,' one fan wrote on X. Another added, 'What a terrific career and even better human being! Thank you for the memories, Carp!' A third said, "Awesome guy, great advocate for St. Louis, and a fantastic player", while another added "Hell of a career, thanks for everything Matt!" Advertisement Citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and children, Carpenter said the timing felt right to retire. While Cardinals fans may be sad to see him hang up his cleats, his legacy in St. Louis is secure — and it likely won't be long before he's wearing a red jacket. Related: Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina Could Be Impacted by MLB's Historic Pete Rose Decision Related: Legendary Cardinals Mascot Fredbird Nominated for Hall of Fame
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Former Cardinals, Yankees star Matt Carpenter retires after 14 MLB seasons
Matt Carpenter is calling it a career after 14 seasons in the big leagues. Carpenter, a three-time All-Star who spent 12 seasons with the Cardinals, announced his retirement on Sports Spectrum's 'Get in the Game' podcast with former teammate Scott Linebrink. The infielder went unsigned this offseason. 3 Matt Carpenter primarily played for the Cardinals. AP 'I was very fortunate to play for some great organizations and had quite a thrill being able to don the St. Louis Cardinals logo for many years,' Carpenter said. 'A brief stint with the New York Yankees and also the San Diego Padres. I could thank a lot of people and I will, but I think I've got to start with my family. 'My wife, Mackenzie. Anyone who's played professional baseball knows it takes a really strong woman at home to get through what that life looks like and she was the rock in our household that was able for me to go out and play the game I love for so long. … And then, obviously, my parents.' Carpenter finishes a two-time Silver Slugger who led the National League in hits in 2013 while hitting .318 and scoring 126 runs. He was a key contributor to that Cardinals team, which won the National League pennant before losing to the Boston Red Sox in the Fall Classic. Carpenter left the Cardinals after a nightmare 2021 season that saw him hit .176 and signed with the Texas Rangers that offseason, but did not make the team out of camp. When he opted out of his contract with the Rangers, Carpenter signed with the Yankees in May 2022 and went on a wild heater as his MLB career was rejuvenated. 3 Matt Carpenter with the Yankees in 2022. for the NY POST The lefty-hitting Carpenter hit .305 with 15 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a 1.138 OPS, the best in all of baseball with a minimum of 150 plate appearances. He produced a phenomenal 2.4 WAR in just 47 games, his best mark since 2018. 3 Matt Carpenter in the 2012 playoffs. REUTERS The mustache-rocking sensation set a Yankee record as the first player to hit six home runs in his first 10 games with the team. A foot fracture prevented him from producing even further before he returned for the playoffs, where he went 1-for-12 spanning the ALDS and ALCS. Carpenter translated his Yankees success into a one-year deal with the Padres, but he hit just .176 with a .641 OPS spanning 76 games. He spent his final season in 2024 with the Cardinals, hitting .234 with a .686 OPS. For his career, Carpenter slashed .259/.366/.449/.814 with 179 homers in 1,511 games. 'I'm excited for what's next and getting to spend some much-needed quality time with my wife and kids on a more consistent basis now that you put the cleats up,' Carpenter said. 'It's exciting stuff.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees React to Retirement Decision of Former All-Star
During the 2022 MLB season, the New York Yankees proved to be one of the best teams, finishing with an impressive 99-63 record, which helped them finish in first place in the AL East. Their offense was a big piece to the overall success, tied for 16th-most hits (1,308), while having the most home runs (254), scoring the second-most runs (807) and having the fourth-highest team OPS (.751). Advertisement Of course, baseball is a team effort, but one big contributor to all of that was Matt Carpenter, who spent just that sole season for New York on a one-year, $2 million contract. However, he called it a career on Wednesday, and the MLB's Instagram post about the decision drew a reaction from the Yankees, who commented, "Thank you Matt! Wishing you all the best in retirement." In that lone year for the Yankees, Carpenter was solid, appearing in 47 games and accumulating 128 at-bats, 39 hits, 37 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 15 home runs, 19 walks and a WAR of 2.4 There's no doubt that the most impressive part of the year was that his 1.138 OPS was the highest among all MLB hitters who had at least 120 at-bats, per FanGraphs, while also slashing .305/.412/.727. New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Carpenter (24).Thomas Shea-Imagn Images He now leaves behind a 14-year career in which he had 4,856 at-bats. 1,257 hits, 813 runs scored, 659 RBIs, 179 home runs, 774 walks and 28 stolen bases, while slashing .259/.366/.449 with an OPS of .815. Advertisement His three All-Star appearances and one Silver Slugger also help aid what will be known as a solid legacy for Carpenter. Related: Red Sox Star Sends Rafael Devers Clear Message Amid Controversy
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Cardinals All-Star Matt Carpenter Announces Retirement From Baseball
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Former St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter announced his retirement on Sports Spectrum's "Get in the Game" podcast Wednesday morning. Carpenter said the decision was easy, and he wanted to spend more time with his family as he has two young children. ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 23: Matt Carpenter #13 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium on June 23, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 23: Matt Carpenter #13 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium on June 23, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. Photo byCarpenter was drafted in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB draft by the Cardinals and would spend the first 11 years of his career with the franchise, including three All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger. Carpenter would leave the Cardinals for two seasons following a disappointing 2021 season. His first stop was with the New York Yankees, where he would bounce back in only 47 games with in the Bronx. Carpenter would sign with the San Diego Padres following his short stint in New York but was unable to continue building a late-career revival, hitting only five home runs and batting .176 with the Padres. Carpenter would return to St. Louis for his final season, playing the part of a role player in the dugout and locker room more than an on-field factor. Carpenter entered the offseason with the desire to continue his playing career, but after going unsigned, the former All-Star told "Get in the Game" that he would resort to prayer and reflection before making his decision on Wednesday. Carpenter gave the Cardinals many great moments, including a three-run base-clearing double off future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw in the 2014 NLDS, rallying the Cardinals to victory and knocking Kershaw out of the game. Carpenter is a Cardinals legend in the hearts of St. Louis fans and despite the decline late in his career, Carpenter will be remembered by the historic franchise. Carpenter's next chapter in baseball is unclear but for now he told the podcast wants to return home and be with his family. More MLB: 'Different Vibe': Could Cardinals Become Buyers At Trade Deadline After Hot Streak?
Fox Sports
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Matt Carpenter, a three-time All-Star infielder in St. Louis, retires after 14 seasons
Associated Press Matt Carpenter is calling it a career. The veteran infielder said on the 'Get In The Game' podcast on Wednesday that he is stepping away following a 14-year career, most of them with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 39-year-old Carpenter was a three-time All-Star while moving between second, third and first base. Carpenter hit .259 with 179 home runs and 659 RBIs in 1,511 games, the vast majority of them in St. Louis, which selected him in the 13th round of the 2009 amateur draft following a standout college career at TCU. Carpenter reached the majors in 2011 and was a fixture in the Cardinals' lineup for the next decade. The left-handed hitter led the majors in hits (199), runs (126) and doubles (55) in 2013 while making his first All-Star appearance and helping St. Louis to the World Series. Carpenter remained in St. Louis through 2021 before spending a season with the New York Yankees in 2022, then moving on to San Diego the following season. The Cardinals brought Carpenter back in 2024. He hit .234 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 59 games. 'So fortunate that that opportunity came about, (having) the last jersey you put on being the first jersey you put on,' he said. Carpenter said he was pretty certain going into 2024 that it would be his final season. He kept his options open last winter. Nothing developed and he realized how much time he had missed at home with his wife, Mackenzie, and their two children, both in elementary school. 'God really put it on my heart that it was time to come home,' Carpenter told podcast host Scott Linebrink, a former major league pitcher. Carpenter called St. Louis a 'special, special place to play baseball.' He ranks in the top 10 in franchise history in multiple offensive categories, including walks, hit by pitch and sacrifice flies, symbolic of Carpenter's gritty, team-first approach to his job. ___ AP MLB: recommended in this topic
