Yankees' Matt Carpenter Hopes To Play Again This Year After Foot Fracture
Matt Carpenter's triumphant comeback season was interrupted on Monday when the 36-year-old fouled a pitch off the top of his left foot.
The sequence resulted in a fractured left foot for the Yankees' infielder/outfielder. The injury will sideline Carpenter for the foreseeable future. However, the veteran has his sights set on returning before the 2022 season comes to an end.
"It's obviously not ideal. Pretty disappointing, but my mindset is that this won't be the end for me here this year," Carpenter told reporters after the game, a 9-4 Yankees win over the Mariners. "I'm hopeful that I can come back and contribute. Don't have a timeline yet, but I'm hopeful for the best."
Carpenter broke his foot after fouling a Logan Gilbert pitch off in the first inning. He immediately began limping around the batter's box, but Carpenter remained in the game at designated hitter and struck out on the next pitch.
Carpenter didn't leave the game until Yankees outfielder Tim Locastro pinch-hit for him two innings later.
Prior to breaking his foot, Carpenter was enjoying a renaissance with the Yankees. A member of the Cardinals for 11 seasons, Carpenter struggled over his last two campaigns in St. Louis, hitting just .176 from 2020-2021. The Cards decided not to bring him back to the only organization he had ever played for, and the former Silver Slugger began the 2022 season with the Rangers' Triple-A club.
Texas ultimately released Carpenter, and the Yankees scooped him up on a big league deal. He's since slashed .305/.412/.727 with 15 home runs, 37 RBI, a 220 OPS+ and 2.4 Wins Above Replacement (according to Baseball Reference).
That unexpected production will be difficult for the Yankees to replace. One possible option for Carpenter's roster spot is Miguel Andújar. Another infielder/outfielder who is more known for his bat than his glove, Andújar is hitting .293/.337/.498 with 12 home runs and 46 RBI at Triple-A this season.
