Inside The Cardinals

Ex-Cardinals Fan Favorite 'Is Likely Finished' After Impressive 14-Year MLB Career

The former St. Louis slugger isn't garnering much attention
Nate Hagerty|
Sep 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Matt Carpenter (13) salute their fans after their final home game of the season and a victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Matt Carpenter (13) salute their fans after their final home game of the season and a victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals youth movement is underway, which has left several former fan favorites scouring for their next big-leage contract.

For instance, All-Star right-handed pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson's 2025 club options were declined last fall but neither veteran has succeeded in landing a free-agent contract this offseason.

Another former beloved Cardinals star left to fend for himself this winter could be headed for retirement, as his declining offensive production could leave him stranded in the free-agent market.

"It was a nice story when (Matt) Carpenter returned to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, but he ended up being the same player he was for (2022 notwithstanding) most of the five previous seasons: A low-impact, basically replacement-level hitter," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote Wednesday when predicting top available designated hitters' fates. "The 39-year-old is likely finished, in other words, and that pretty much makes it (J.D.) Martinez or bust in this section."

Carpenter batted .234 with 11 extra-base hits including four home runs, 15 RBIs and a .686 OPS in 59 games played for the Cardinals in 2024.

After 14 seasons in the big leagues -- 12 of which were spent playing for the Cardinals -- the odds of Carpenter landing a contract before Opening Day are slim, unless a team is willing to offer him a league-minimum deal of $740,000.

The three-time All-Star batted .261 with 495 extra-base hits including 159 home runs, 659 RBIs and a .812 OPS throughout his 12-year tenure in St. Louis.

It's possible that 2024 was Carpenter's last ride before sailing off into the sunset. The former homegrown Cardinals star will always have a home in St. Louis, regardless of whether he retires with the 11-time World Series champions. However, it wouldn't be shocking to see him sign a one-day contract so he can officially hang up his cleats with the organization that berthed his big-league dreams.

More MLB: Ex-Cardinals All-Star Labeled 'Best Available' Starter For Yankees Depleted Rotation

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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