Matt Carpenter DH FA Sun 4/3/22 2:03 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
The Rangers informed Carpenter on Sunday that he won't be included on their Opening Day roster, independent baseball journalist Jeff Wilson reports.
EDGE Analysis
Texas will likely formally reassign Carpenter to minor-league camp in the coming days, but it's unclear if a player with his level of experience in the majors will be willing to report to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the season. Since he swatted a career-high 36 home runs in 2018, the longtime Cardinals infielder's production fell off swiftly during his final three seasons in St. Louis, with Carpenter submitting a .671 OPS and 87 wRC+ over that stretch. Now 36 years old and with little defensive utility to offer at this stage of his career, Carpenter may struggle to get another look in the majors.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Fri 3/18/22 3:07 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpented signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
While the Rangers made a handful of big additions this offseason, their roster still has plenty of spots up for grabs. Carpenter will presumably be looking to win a bench infield role. There's not a lot left in the 36-year-old's bat, however, as he's been below-average according to wRC+ for three straight seasons. Last year, he hit just .169/.305/.275 while striking out 30.9 percent of the time.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Thu 11/4/21 12:30 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter became a free agent Thursday after the Cardinals declined his team option, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
EDGE Analysis
Carpenter spent 11 seasons in St. Louis, hitting .262/.368/.449 with 155 homers. He's been a below-average hitter for three straight seasons and has failed to clear the Mendoza Line in the last two, however, so it's unsurprising to see that the team doesn't want to bring him back for his age-36 season. Even if the universal designated hitter arrives and opens up 15 more jobs for older players without much defensive value, Carpenter may still find it tough to secure a major-league contract this winter.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Tue 9/21/21 2:45 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter entered Monday's win over the Brewers as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh inning, lacing a double and subsequently scoring in his one plate appearance.
EDGE Analysis
Carpenter made a pinch-hit appearance for the third straight game and sixth in the last seven overall. His two-bagger to lead off the seventh was his second double in the last three games, a rare taste of offensive success in a season that's seen the veteran produce an abysmal .175 average and .289 slugging percentage across 232 plate appearances.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Mon 9/6/21 3:54 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter will start at third base and bat fifth Monday against the Dodgers.
EDGE Analysis
Carpenter will pick up his first start since Aug. 14 while everyday third baseman Nolan Arenado gets a rare day off. While filling a bench role exclusively over the past three weeks, Carpenter has picked up only 13 plate appearances, going hitless with five strikeouts and three walks.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Sun 8/8/21 1:56 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter knocked a go-ahead RBI double as a pinch hitter in a win over the Royals on Saturday.
EDGE Analysis
The veteran has now hit safely in three straight games, with two of those coming in a pinch-hit capacity. The extra-base hit was also Carpenter's first since July 18, and his season slash line sits at a crooked .200/.328/.325.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Tue 7/27/21 3:08 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter will serve as St. Louis' designated hitter and bat eighth Tuesday against Cleveland.
EDGE Analysis
Playing time has been hard to come by of late for Carpenter, but thanks to the DH being available in Cleveland, he'll enter the starting nine for the first time in seven games. For the second season in a row, Carpenter is hitting below the Mendoza Line (.188), and he's striking out at a career-worst 31.5 percent rate.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Mon 7/5/21 11:24 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a two-RBI triple and a walk during Monday's 5-3 win at San Francisco.
EDGE Analysis
The veteran infielder brought home the first runs of the contest during the seventh inning with a two-run triple, which is his first three-bagger of the season. Carpenter has a .182/.314/.311 slash line with three homers, 19 RBI and 12 runs in 159 plate appearances this season.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Mon 7/5/21 3:02 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a run in a loss to the Rockies on Sunday.
EDGE Analysis
Carpenter drew the start at second base and operated out of the cleanup spot, and he came through with one of only two multi-hit efforts for the Cardinals on the day. The veteran hadn't managed more than a single hit in a contest since May 30, and although he's shown some modest signs of life at the plate during his scant opportunities in recent weeks, his season average remains an abysmal .177 across 156 plate appearances.
Matt Carpenter DH FA Sun 6/20/21 1:13 PM
Matt Carpenter
DH FA
Carpenter is out of the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader with Atlanta.
EDGE Analysis
The lefty-hitting Carpenter will be on the bench for the fourth time in six games, despite a right-hander (Bryse Wilson) being on the hill for Atlanta. Carpenter is no lock to rejoin the lineup for the nightcap with southpaw Drew Smyly starting for Atlanta, and at this point, the 35-year-old may have lost out on primary duties at the keystone to Edmundo Sosa.