The Cardinals have welcomed back Matt Carpenter.
The Cardinals increased their reliance on familiar faces by signing veteran slugger Carpenter in an offseason that saw them sign pitcher Lance Lynn to a one-year free agent contract and bring the former World Series champion back into the fold.
The goal was to infuse veteran leadership into a clubhouse that was largely inexperienced.
Carpenter, a former three-time All-Star, is back with the team that selected him in the 13th round of the 2009 NBA Draft and where he played all of his career up until the 2021 campaign.
“My phone has been blowing up with a lot of old friends reaching out. I’m really emotional right now,” Carpenter remarked on Friday afternoon.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. DeWitt, Mo, and the front office for providing me with this chance to return to the place where it all began—a Cardinals uniform. I think I’m returning home to a wonderful family.
On Friday, he inked a major-league one-year contract with the Cardinals for the major-league minimum.
Carpenter declared that it was a “no-brainer” for him to have the chance to don a Cardinals uniform once more.
After leaving St. Louis after the 2021 season, Carpenter, 38, spent time with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres before rejoining the Cardinals.
