Carpenter is attending the Winter Meetings to speak with teams about a contract for next season, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter, 39, slashed .234/.314/.372 with four home runs over 59 contests with the Cardinals in 2024. He would surely have to accept a minor-league contract at this stage of his career and hope to win a reserve role.

Carpenter is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

After going 1-for-12 with a home run and three walks over a stretch of five starts in six games, Carpenter's time as the Cardinals' primary designated hitter looks to have come and gone. He finds himself on the bench for a third straight game Thursday, with the Cardinals having faced right-handed pitchers in each of those contests. Luken Baker now looks to be St. Louis' preferred option at DH.

Carpenter is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter made five starts at designated hitter in a six-game stretch but has now been out of the lineup for two games in a row against righties. San Diego's starter Wednesday, Joe Musgrove, has reverse splits this season, which surely factored into Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol's decision to go with Luken Baker at DH.

Carpenter will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 8 batter in Monday's game against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter has been the main beneficiary thus far of the Cardinals' decision to demote the struggling Nolan Gorman to Triple-A Memphis last Wednesday. With Gorman out of the mix, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson have been seeing most of their starts lately at second base and in left field, respectively, leaving the DH spot available for Carpenter. Though he'll be getting his fifth start in the Cardinals' last six matchups with right-handed pitchers, Carpenter has yet to do much with the opportunity. He's gone 0-for-11 with three walks over his last five contests.

Carpenter hit a two-run home-run as a pinch hitter in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Brewers.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter was activated from a minimum stay on the injured list due to a back strain earlier in the day. He's played in just seven games since the All-Star break, going 4-for-10 with two homers, five RBI and four runs scored in those contests. The 38-year-old is expected to remain in a bench role most of the time, while Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras continue to garner most of the at-bats at designated hitter. Carpenter is slashing .261/.336/.414 with four homers, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, five doubles and no stolen bases over 125 plate appearances.

The Cardinals reinstated Carpenter (back) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

The 38-year-old will end up missing only the 10-day minimum due to a back strain. Carpenter went 0-for-2 with two walks and two strikeouts in his lone start of August prior to landing on the shelf, and he's unlikely to see consistent at-bats for the Cardinals down the stretch.

The Cardinals placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Monday with a lower-back strain.

EDGE Analysis

Outfielder Jordan Walker was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to take Carpenter's spot on the 26-man active roster. Carpenter had played in just one of the Cardinals' first 10 games of August, though his lack of usage might have had more to do with his standing as a reserve designated hitter rather than because of the injury. Carpenter had served as a strong-side platoon option at DH for a brief spell from mid-June to early July, but his playing time had fallen by the wayside since outfielder Lars Nootbaar returned from the injured list, which bumped Alec Burleson back to DH.

Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Monday's 6-3 loss to the Rangers.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter has essentially been a bench bat throughout July, and with the Cardinals looking to buy ahead of the trade deadline, his role may be further reduced down the stretch. The 38-year-old is slashing just .255/.322/.377 with three homers, 11 RBI, 11 runs scored and four doubles across 118 plate appearances this season. Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras continue to see most of the playing time at designated hitter, and Carpenter's in no position to challenge Paul Goldschmidt for first base.

Carpenter is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter will hit the bench for a sixth consecutive game, with the Cardinals having faced left-handed pitchers in each of the last five contests. Though he had been seeing steady opportunities against right-handed pitching lately, the 38-year-old Carpenter will likely find himself on the bench more frequently after the Cardinals reinstated Lars Nootbaar (oblique) from the 10-day injured list Monday. With Nootbaar expected to take back an everyday role in right field, Alec Burleson should replace Carpenter as the Cardinals' primary designated hitter.

Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

EDGE Analysis

The lefty-hitting Carpenter finds himself on the bench for the fifth game in a row while the Cardinals have opposed four consecutive left-handed starting pitchers. With Carpenter riding the pine, Willson Contreras will get a day off from catching and will serve as St. Louis' designated hitter while Pedro Pages settles in behind the dish.