Manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter (shoulder) will likely bat third in 2018, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

With Dexter Fowler expected to return to the top of the order as the team's leadoff hitter, Carpenter will likely open the season as the Cardinals' No. 3 hitter for the second straight year. While he batted third for the first 45 games in 2017, he slashed just .221/.353/.429 in 201 plate appearances during that stretch and was eventually moved to back the leadoff spot due to his -- and Fowler's -- struggles. Carpenter will now get another shot to prove he belongs in the heart of the team's lineup, though either way, he should hold value wherever he hits. The 32-year-old was shut down near the end of last season due to shoulder inflammation, but the issue didn't require surgery and he's expected to be fully healthy entering spring training.