Cardinals confirm Chris Carpenter retirement, will 'identify a future role' for Cy Young winner

Chris Carpenter had a 95-44 record and 3.07 ERA in nine seasons with the Cardinals. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Chris Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, is retiring after lingering issues with his right shoulder kept him out for all of last season, the St. Louis Cardinals announced this week. The news confirms what his agent, Bob LaMonte, announced in October. 

General Manager John Mozeliak said that the team, which the 38-year-old played for over nine of his 15 years in the major leagues, will look to "identify a future role" for the three-time All-Star, according to the Associated Press report this week.

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After six years with the Toronto Blue Jays at the beginning of his career, Carpenter finished 95-44 with a 3.07 ERA in his nine seasons with the Cardinals. No other Cardinals pitcher has more postseason victories (10), making him one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, according to Mozeliak:

"When you think back to everything this organization has been through in regard to his ups and downs, he will still go down as one of the greatest we've ever had...We think back to his career and what an amazing one it was. He was part of so many highlights and I think he really created a culture of higher expectations."

Because of various lingering injuries, Carpenter made 332 starts over his 15 years in the major leagues. The two-time World Series champion won 21 games in 2005 and led the league in ERA four years later in 2009 when he came back from Tommy John surgery to win the award for NL comeback player of the year.

Chairman Bill Dewitt Jr. said Carpenter played a pivotal role in some of the greatest years ever for the organization:

"Chris will always be remembered as the leader of the pitching staff during one of the great eras of Cardinals baseball."

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