Matt Carpenter
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2014Mariners157626981545449118681253120.2460.3210.398
2015Mariners15864181132303814801246140.2060.2950.287
2016Mariners154624761084952218631793020.1730.2510.349
2017Mariners129503821117738524721152150.2210.3250.459
2018Mariners145538109112523122412612830130.2080.3630.407
2019Mariners15655986966635421971523150.1720.3000.361
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2022Mariners11000000010000.0000.0000.000
2023Mariners471652854371601717391000.3270.4100.733
2024Mariners11000000010000.0000.0000.000
MLB Player Data
DateNewsComment
Jun 27 2024Carpenter isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for Thursday's game versus the Reds, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: St. Louis will match up against left-handed starter Andrew Abbott on Thursday, so the lefty-hitting Carpenter will step out of the lineup. Willson Contreras will take over as the DH while Pedro Pages starts at catcher and bats ninth.
Jun 26 2024Carpenter isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter went 1-for-1 with a single and a sacrifice fly during a loss in Game 1, and the Cardinals will give him a breather to conclude Wednesday's activities. Willson Contreras will instead serve as St. Louis' DH while Pedro Pages starts behind the plate.
Jun 24 2024Carpenter will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 7 batter in Monday's game against Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After he was excluded from the lineup for a stretch of six consecutive games from June 12 through 17 while the Cardinals faced four lefty starters and handed starts to Nolan Arenado and Masyn Winn at DH in the other two matchups with righties, Carpenter will now get his sixth start in a row. He's earned a more stable spot in the lineup against righties after going 6-for-16 with a double and a walk over the previous five games. The lefty-hitting Carpenter should continue to sit regularly versus lefties, however.
Jun 16 2024Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Carpenter finds himself on the bench for the fifth game in a row, with St. Louis having faced three lefties and two righties during that stretch. Though he appeared headed for a regular role at DH versus righties after Lars Nootbaar (oblique) was placed on the injured list May 31, Carpenter seems to have fallen out of favor after mustering a .130/.200/.261 slash line through his first eight games of June. The Cardinals may just prefer to rotate a number of regulars at the DH spot rather than settling on a primary option.
Jun 13 2024Carpenter is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been seeing most of the starts in the designated-hitter spot for the Cardinals versus righties since Lars Nootbaar (oblique) went on the injured list, resulting in Alec Burleson playing regularly in right field. However, Carpenter will begin Thursday's contest on the bench against right-hander Mitch Keller. Nolan Arenado will serve as St. Louis' DH while Jose Fermin replaces Arenado at third base.
Jun 12 2024Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Carpenter will hit the bench Wednesday while the Pirates bring southpaw Bailey Falter to the hill. With Carpenter taking a seat, Alec Burleson will get a day out of the outfield and serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter while Dylan Carlson steps in as St. Louis' starting right fielder.
Jun 8 2024Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and two total runs scored in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter got the Cardinals back within a run with his seventh-inning blast, but they couldn't build on it. Both of his homers this season have come over his last nine games. The designated hitter is at a .200/.294/.317 slash line with five RBI, six runs scored, one double and no stolen bases through 68 plate appearances. Carpenter has seen steadier playing time at designated hitter with Alec Burleson filling in as an outfielder due to the absence of Lars Nootbaar (oblique).
Jun 7 2024Carpenter isn't in the Cardinals' lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The left-handed bat of Carpenter will be forced out of the lineup Friday as southpaw Austin Gomber prepares to toe the slab for Colorado. Jose Fermin will instead serve as St. Louis' designated hitter while batting seventh.
Jun 5 2024Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Houston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been seeing regular playing time at designated hitter against right-handers since Lars Nootbaar (oblique) went on the injured list, with Alec Burleson covering Nootbaar's usual spot in right field. However, Carpenter will begin Wednesday's game on the bench, as Ivan Herrera will be in the DH slot versus Astros righty Ronel Blanco.
Jun 3 2024Carpenter will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 8 batter in Monday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has now been included in the lineup in four straight matchups with right-handed pitchers and could settle in as St. Louis' primary DH due to Lars Nootbaar's oblique injury opening up more opportunities in right field for Alec Burleson. Since returning from the injured list May 11 after missing more than five weeks of action with an oblique injury of his own, Carpenter has slashed .176/.300/.294 over 11 games.
May 29 2024Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The long ball was Carpenter's first of the campaign, as he took Frankie Montas deep in the third inning. Playing time has been generally sporadic for Carpenter since he returned from an oblique injury, as Alec Burleson's strong hitting has made him a priority to be in the lineup. Carpenter is batting .250 with four RBI, four runs scored and a 5:13 BB:K over 42 plate appearances as an option at designated hitter.
May 22 2024Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After being activated from the 10-day injured list May 11, Carpenter served as the Cardinals' designated hitter for three straight games. Despite reaching base six times in 15 plate appearances during that stretch, Carpenter looks like he'll have to settle for a part-time role with the Cardinals having since reprioritized Alec Burleson at designated hitter. Carpenter is on the bench Wednesday for the fifth time in the last six games.
May 11 2024Carpenter (oblique) was activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday's game against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jose Fermin had been leading off against lefties, but with the Cardinals set to face three right-handed starters in a row, Fermin was sent to Triple-A and the lefty-hitting Carpenter was added to the active roster. The 38-year-old designated hitter went 3-for-10 with a run scored in three games before getting injured April 1.
May 10 2024Carpenter (oblique) is on track to rejoin the Cardinals on Saturday in Milwaukee, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will play in one more rehab game with Triple-A Memphis on Friday before a likely return to the big club. Out since early April with a right oblique strain, Carpenter has gone 4-for-17 with two homers in his first five rehab contests. Upon his activation, Carpenter could see some starts at designated hitter versus righties for an offense that's desperately looking for a spark.
May 7 2024Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Tuesday that Carpenter's (oblique) rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis could be extended through the weekend, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter had a couple potential rehab games with Double-A Springfield rained out, so the team would like to see him make up for that lost time. Barring a setback, it sounds like he should be activated early next week when the Cardinals are on the road playing the Angels.
May 6 2024Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Carpenter (oblique) will shift his rehab assignment to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter kicked off his minor-league assignment with Double-A Springfield on Friday and appeared in two games over the weekend, going 1-for-6 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. The 38-year-old has been on the injured list since April 2 with a right oblique strain, but once he's activated, he could push Alec Burleson for the Cardinals' primary designated-hitter gig.
May 3 2024Carpenter (oblique) has been sent to Double-A Springfield to begin a rehab assignment. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: What would have been Carpenter's first rehab game was rained out Thursday, but he's been cleared for game action after missing the last month with a right oblique strain. It's not clear how many rehab at-bats the 38-year-old will need before being activated. Once he does return, he'll give the Cardinals another option at designated hitter.
Apr 29 2024Carpenter (oblique) could begin a rehab assignment as soon as Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has progressed well since being given an injection for his right oblique strain a week ago, having taken a couple rounds of batting practice without issue. It sounds like he might be ready for activation within the next week or so.
Apr 26 2024Carpenter (oblique) took swings on the field before Friday's game against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter had been shut down from activity after receiving a PRP injection in his right oblique Monday. He will swing again before Saturday's game, at which point the Cardinals will decide whether or not to send the 38-year-old veteran out on a rehab assignment.
Apr 23 2024Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday that Carpenter received a platelet-rich plasma injection for his strained right oblique, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cardinals will have Carpenter rest for the next three days to allow the injection to take effect. If all goes well, Carpenter will resume hitting on the field later this week, and then face a high-velocity pitching machine before he starts getting at-bats in a game setting. Heading into the season, Carpenter didn't look as though he would be in store for much of a role before being placed on the 10-day injured list April 4, but he could have an opportunity to see reps at designated hitter if Nolan Gorman (.610 OPS, 38.1 percent strikeout rate in 84 plate appearances) and Alec Burleson (.549 OPS in 52 plate appearances) fail to show improvement in the weeks to come.
Apr 21 2024Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Sunday that Carpenter (oblique) is still at least a few days away from starting his rehab assignment, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter took swings during batting practice both Friday and Saturday. Marmol noted that those sessions went well for Carpenter, but the veteran first baseman could need upwards of a week before beginning his rehab assignment. Carpenter has been on the Cardinals' 10-day IL since April 2 after straining his right oblique.
Apr 19 2024Carpenter (oblique) took swings during batting practice Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter began taking infield practice last weekend, and Friday marks the first time the 38-year-old veteran has participated in batting practice. He remains without an official timetable, but he could head to the minors for a rehab assignment relatively soon if he's able to continue swinging without any issues.
Apr 15 2024Carpenter (oblique) is currently traveling with the Cardinals and took infield practice in Arizona over the weekend, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sidelined since early April with a right oblique strain, Carpenter seems to be making progress in his recovery, though it's unclear where he stands in his hitting progression. With that, a return timetable is still up in the air for the 14-year veteran. Carpenter appeared in three games -- including a couple starts at DH -- for the Cardinals early on this season, going 3-for-10 with three singles and a run scored.
Apr 4 2024The Cardinals placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right oblique strain, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's move to the injured list is retroactive to Tuesday, so he will be eligible to return beginning April 12. The 38-year-old has played in just three of St. Louis' seven games so far, but losing him is another hit to the Cardinals' depth, as the team is already dealing with a handful of injuries to begin the year. Pedro Pages was recalled from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move.
Feb 29 2024Carpenter (wrist) is in the lineup for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran was hit by a pitch in his spring debut, but he escaped with only a contusion and is now ready to return after a few days off. While he made three All-Star appearances with the Cardinals earlier in his career, at this stage Carpenter is in the twilight of his playing days and hoping to stick around throughout the season as a bench bat.
Feb 27 2024Carpenter (wrist) is hoping to return to the Grapefruit League lineup Thursday against the Nationals, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was a late scratch ahead of Monday's game against the Marlins due to a left wrist contusion, which he suffered when he was hit by a pitch Saturday. He will require a few days of rest but is expected to be fine.
Feb 26 2024Carpenter was scratched from the lineup for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins because of a left wrist contusion, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was hit on the wrist by a pitch in a game over the weekend and is evidently still feeling the effects. The Cardinals are seemingly viewing Carpenter as day-to-day.
Jan 19 2024Carpenter signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 38-year-old slashed just .176/.322/.319 last season with the Padres before being traded to Atlanta over the offseason and then released. He's owed $5.5 million in 2024 but the Cardinals will be responsible only for the veteran minimum. Carpenter could conceivably see time time in the designated hitter spot in St. Louis, but it'll be difficult for the club to justify playing time for him over younger options.
Dec 18 2023Carpenter was released by Atlanta on Monday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Atlanta had hoped to find a trade partner willing to take on at least some of the $4 million it owed Carpenter in 2024 (the Padres also owe him $1.5 million), but it wasn't to be. The 38-year-old slashed an ugly .176/.322/.319 during his lone season in San Diego and there's a distinct possibility we've seen the last of the three-time All-Star in the big leagues.
Dec 15 2023Atlanta acquired Carpenter (elbow), Ray Kerr and cash considerations from the Padres on Friday in exchange for Drew Campbell. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter, 38, posted a dreadful .176/.322/.319 batting line with five home runs over 76 games (237 plate appearances) for San Diego in 2023 and finished the year on the injured list because of right elbow inflammation. With no need at first base or designated hitter, Atlanta could quickly flip him to another team. He's owed $5.5 million in 2024 after exercising his final-year player option earlier this offseason, but the Padres will cover $1.5 million of that.
Nov 3 2023Carpenter (elbow) exercised his $5.5 million player option for 2024 on Friday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter slashed .176/.322/.319 across 236 plate appearances with the Padres in 2023 and was unlikely to attract a large offer in the open market, so he'll opt into $5.5 million heading into his age-38 season. Carpenter battled injuries and saw his playing time decrease during the latter half of the season, and it's possible he remains in a reserve role to begin the 2024 campaign.
Sep 15 2023The Padres placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Friday with right elbow inflammation. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The move comes retroactive to Tuesday, so Carpenter will be eligible to return in a week. Carpenter has gone 2-for-10 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored since the start of September, and he will be replaced on the roster by Ji-Man Choi (ankle), who was reinstated from the injured list Friday.
Sep 11 2023Carpenter has started four of the Padres' past seven games after logging just 14 plate appearances across all of August. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's increase in playing time has followed Jake Cronenworth (wrist) going on the injured list in late August. Three of Carpenter's past four starts have come at first base, and he's gone 2-for-10 with a home run, two RBI and a 4:5 BB:K during that stretch. The veteran is slashing a meager .176/.322/.319 on the campaign, but he may continue to see opportunities down the stretch, though it's unlikely he becomes an everyday starter.
Aug 7 2023Carpenter hasn't seen any game action for the Padres since July 24, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As Acee points out, Carpenter is the only player in the majors to have been on an active roster continuously since July 25 to have not appeared in a game during that time. The 37-year-old is batting just .166/.296/.302 on the season, and it may only be a matter of time that he loses his spot on the Padres roster. Carpenter is making $6.5 million in 2023 and holds a $5.5 million player option for 2024.
Jul 22 2023Carpenter remains on the bench for Saturday's game against the Tigers, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran is hitting .169/.297/.307 on the season and has gone 2-for-33 at the plate in his last 16 games. As a result, he's lost his access to regular at-bats as a designated hitter, even against righties. Tate Kohlwey filled that role Friday, but it will be Xander Bogaerts resting his legs there Saturday.
Jul 19 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has survived the Padres' recent roster churn -- while Nelson Cruz and Rougned Odor did not -- but Fernando Tatis is taking a turn as the DH on Wednesday versus the Blue Jays and right-hander Jose Berrios. Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Taylor Kohlwey will start across the outfield.
Jul 8 2023Carpenter isn't in the Padres' lineup Saturday against the Mets, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's struggles at the plate have begun to cost him significant playing time, as Saturday marks the fifth time Carpenter will sit in San Diego's last seven games. Brandon Dixon will serve as the Padres' designated hitter and bat seventh.
Jun 29 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter started Wednesday's game after being on the bench for eight straight, but he's now riding the pine again Thursday even with the Pirates starting a righty (Luis Ortiz). After putting up a .908 OPS in April, the 37-year-old has just a .497 OPS and 33 percent strikeout rate in the two months since. Because Carpenter doesn't provide value with the glove and has been in a deep slump at the plate for a while, his roster spot wouldn't seem to be secure at this point.
Jun 21 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup again Wednesday versus the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter seems to have slumped his way into a bench-bat role, as this is his third straight absence from the Padres' starting lineup. Nelson Cruz will handle DH duties and hit seventh Wednesday night in San Francisco.
Jun 20 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Rougned Odor will man DH for the Padres and bat sixth against the Giants and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani. Nelson Cruz and Gary Sanchez are also sitting. Carpenter, 37, has slashed just .135/.243/.214 over his last 103 plate appearances dating back to May 2.
Jun 19 2023Carpenter will sit Monday versus the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will get a day off after he went 0-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout while starting the final two games of the team's series with Tampa Bay. Rougned Odor will take over at designated hitter and bat seventh in the series opener with San Francisco.
Jun 16 2023Carpenter is not in the starting lineup versus the Rays on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will get another day off Friday with southpaw Shane McClanahan on the hill for Tampa Bay. Nelson Cruz will handle the DH spot and hit seventh with Carpenter on the bench.
Jun 15 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup Thursday versus the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Nelson Cruz is filling the DH role for the Padres and batting sixth with left-hander Logan Allen on the bump for Cleveland. Gary Sanchez is also on the bench.
Jun 10 2023Carpenter will be on the bench for Saturday's game against the Rockies, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter finds himself on the bench for the second straight day, with the Rockies turning to another lefty in Kyle Freeland. Gary Sanchez will serve as the designated hitter.
Jun 9 2023Carpenter isn't starting Friday against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Rockies will send left-hander Austin Gomber to the mound for the start of Friday's game, so the lefty-hitting Carpenter will take a seat. Brandon Dixon will instead serve as San Diego's designated hitter and bat eighth.
Jun 7 2023Carpenter went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a steal in Wednesday's 10-3 win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning before adding a second base hit in the third. It's just the second multi-hit game for Carpenter since the start of May, while the stolen base was his first since the 2021 season. Carpenter started the day in a 4-for-36 (.111) slump over his last 11 contests, though he's still seen regular playing time against right-handed pitching. He's slashing .192/.303/.362 with four homers, 26 RBI and 14 runs scored through 156 plate appearances this year.
Jun 6 2023Carpenter is absent from the Padres' lineup Tuesday versus the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Gary Sanchez will take a turn at designated hitter and Austin Nola will start behind the plate against the Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert. Carpenter is 2-for-11 so far in June.
May 31 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter broke out of a five-game hitless skid in Tuesday's 9-4 win with a pair of doubles and three RBI, but he'll hit the bench Wednesday with left-hander Braxton Garrett on the mound for Miami. Nelson Cruz will handle designated-hitter duties and hit seventh in place of Carpenter.
May 27 2023Carpenter will sit Saturday against the Yankees, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter and Nelson Cruz have been in something close to a strict platoon at designated hitter this season, with Carpenter starting against righties. Right-hander Luis Severino starts for the Yankees on Saturday, but it will be Cruz getting the start nonetheless. Carpenter has looked like he could use a break, as he's gone 0-for-16 with eight strikeouts across his last four games.
May 23 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter enjoyed a big day in the Padres' series finale against the Red Sox on Sunday, but he'll start out on the bench for Tuesday's opener against Washington with left-hander MacKenzie Gore set to take the mound. Nelson Cruz is serving as the DH and Brandon Dixon will play first base.
May 21 2023Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a homer, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Sunday's win against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter drew a bases-loaded walk and later scored in the first inning. He then extended San Diego's lead with a two-run shot in the third. Carpenter had been stuck in an 8-for-45 (.178) skid over his previous 16 games since his last home run April 23. He's now slashing .211/.342/.422 through 111 plate appearances.
May 19 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup Friday against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Nelson Cruz will serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth versus the Red Sox and left-hander James Paxton. Brandon Dixon, called up Friday from Triple-A El Paso, will start at first base and hit seventh.
May 14 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter finds himself on the bench for the third time in four games, with two of his absences coming against right-handed starting pitchers, including Sunday's opponent Tony Gonsolin. Though he's occupied the strong side of a platoon at designated hitter for much of the season, Carpenter's hold on that role may be slipping while he's hitting just .111/.200/.111 so far in May. Nelson Cruz will get the nod at DH on Sunday and could eventually usurp Carpenter as the Friars' preferred option against both right- and left-handed pitching.
May 13 2023Carpenter is not in Saturday's lineup against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With lefty Julio Urias starting for the Dodgers, Nelson Cruz is starting at designated hitter and batting fifth. Carpenter hasn't started against a lefty since April 25.
May 11 2023Carpenter is not in the Padres' lineup Thursday in Minnesota. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Twins are starting right-hander Bailey Ober, but Carpenter will take a seat as Manny Machado serves as the designated hitter and Ha-Seong Kim plays third base. Rougned Odor will get a shot at the keystone.
May 7 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will sit for the second time in San Diego's past three games with lefty Julio Urias pitching for Los Angeles. Nelson Cruz will bat fifth as the designated hitter.
May 5 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will take a seat against Clayton Kershaw for Friday's series opener. Nelson Cruz will be the designated hitter and hit fifth.
May 1 2023Carpenter is starting at designated hitter and batting fifth for the Padres in Monday's game against the Reds, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been swinging a hot bat, going 8-for-17 with two home runs and 10 RBI over his last seven contests. It's been a pretty strict platoon between Carpenter and Nelson Cruz at DH for the Padres, with Carpenter also seeing the occasional start at first base.
Apr 29 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup Saturday versus the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Nelson Cruz will serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth as the Padres take on the Giants and left-hander Sean Manaea at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. Carpenter has logged only nine plate appearances against lefties this season.
Apr 6 2023Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in a loss to Atlanta on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's lone hit of the game was a big one, as his three-run homer off Spencer Strider in the third inning gave San Diego its first lead. The long ball was the veteran's first as a Padre, and it gave him six RBI through six games this season. Carpenter has posted a .250/.400/.500 slash line over 20 plate appearances as the team's primary DH.
Apr 4 2023Carpenter is starting at first base and batting sixth for the Padres in Tuesday's game versus the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Bob Melvin has stuck to a true platoon with Carpenter and Nelson Cruz to this point, giving Carpenter four starts against righties and Cruz two starts versus lefties. This is Carpenter's first start at first base, as Jake Cronenworth will slide to second, Ha-Seong Kim will play third and Manny Machado will be the designated hitter.
Apr 2 2023Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With a southpaw (Austin Gomber) on the bump for Colorado, the lefty-hitting Matt Carpenter will cede his spot in the starting nine to the righty-hitting Nelson Cruz. The two veterans are expected to form a platoon at designated hitter for the foreseeable future unless one separates himself from the other from a performance standpoint.
Apr 1 2023Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in Saturday's victory over Colorado. He also walked. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter doubled home Jake Cronenworth and Juan Soto to give the Padres a 4-0 lead in the second inning. The 37-year-old has already driven in three runs in 2023, and he should continue to see plenty of playing time against right-handed pitching as the designated hitter.
Mar 31 2023Carpenter is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After getting the Opening Day start Thursday, the lefty-hitting Carpenter will take a seat Friday against Kyle Freeland. Nelson Cruz will take his place as San Diego's designated hitter Friday, and he likely will do so against lefty starters for the rest of the season.
Mar 14 2023Carpenter and Nelson Cruz will likely share DH duties this season, Jeff Snider of SI.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter and Cruz are both newcomers to the Padres this season, and they form a natural platoon pair with the former being a left-handed batter and the latter batting from the right side of the plate. Carpenter has also been playing first base this spring, per Jack Magruder of MLB.com, so he figures to get additional at-bats by occasionally starting at that position. San Diego will be hoping that the veteran can recapture some of the magic that led Carpenter to a huge bounce-back campaign with the Yankees last season, when he slashed .305/.412/.727 with 15 homers and 37 RBI over just 154 plate appearances.
Dec 20 2022Carpenter signed a one-year deal with the Padres on Tuesday which includes a player option for a second season, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After producing a below-average batting line in three consecutive seasons, Carpenter rebounded to hit .305/.412/.727 for the Yankees last season, albeit in just 47 games. A repeat of those fantastic numbers this season would be a surprise, though his dramatic improvement wasn't entirely a fluke, as he trimmed his strikeout rate by over eight points to 22.7 percent and posted a 13.7 percent barrel rate. The veteran should be able to help out at all four corner spots if needed but appears to have a path to playing time as the team's primary designated hitter, though that could still change with future offseason moves.
Oct 11 2022Carpenter (foot) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Aaron Boone said he sees Carpenter as a "big bat off the bench," Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. The 36-year-old recorded a whopping 1.139 OPS in 2022, but he has been held out of action since Aug. 8. So, while Carpenter may not be used in an on-field role, it's reasonable to expect him to be used in a few pinch-hit scenarios throughout the Yankees' playoff run.
Oct 9 2022Carpenter (foot) feels ready for the upcoming ALDS against Cleveland and will get another workout in Sunday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The timeline hasn't changed for Carpenter, who remains on track to return in time for the American League Divisional Series after suffering a fractured foot Aug. 8 against Seattle. Per Hoch, Carpenter has already been hitting and running the bases, and he's set for a few more at-bats and a workout at first base Sunday. The veteran slugger fully expects to be available for Game 1 on Tuesday.
Oct 6 2022Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday he expects Carpenter (foot) to be on the Yankees' roster for the start of the ALDS next week, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 36-year-old was transferred to the 60-day injured list over the weekend but will apparently be ready to go for Game 1 of the ALDS on Tuesday. Carpenter had a resurgent campaign in limited chances for the Yankees and produced a .205/.412/.727 slash line with 15 home runs, 37 RBI and 28 runs in only 154 plate appearances.
Oct 2 2022Carpenter (foot) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Sunday, meaning he won't be activated before the end of the regular season. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He could still possibly return in the postseason if the Yankees make a deep run. Carpenter could get at-bats in Somerset in the meantime, though he is still walking around with a limp, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
Sep 30 2022Carpenter (foot) took batting practice on the field and hit in the cage Friday, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been working on weight-bearing activities on his fractured foot recently and hasn't had any issues. It's still possible that the 36-year-old rejoins the Yankees for their upcoming series against the Rangers to close out the regular season, but manager Aaron Boone also hinted Friday that Carpenter could ultimately head to Somerset to take live at-bats ahead of postseason play. Regardless of whether Carpenter is back in action during the final series of the regular season, it seems likely that he'll be in the mix for a postseason return.
Sep 26 2022Manager Aaron Boone said he is hopeful Carpenter (foot) could return during their final series against Texas, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Boone went on to say that the Yankees are "still a ways away from having an idea if that's going to be possible or not." Carpenter has been held out of action since the beginning of August with a fracture in his left foot. If he's unable to make it back for the end of the regular season, there is still a solid chance he can return to New York's lineup at some point during their playoff run.
Sep 21 2022Carpenter (foot) recently underwent an X-ray that revealed progress in his recovery, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been dealing with a fractured left foot since early August and has progressed well over the last few weeks. He's been cleared to take part in weight-bearing activities and is no longer in a walking boot. The 36-year-old will stand in on a bullpen session Wednesday, and he'll have a chance to rejoin at the Yankees at some point during the postseason if the team makes a run.
Sep 19 2022Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Carpenter (foot) has yet to be cleared for baseball activities, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. "I am not sure," Boone said, when asked if Carpenter has a chance to return this season. "I think it kind of depends on when they X-ray next and then what that allows him to do from a ramp-up standpoint." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter didn't require surgery to address the fractured left foot he sustained Aug. 8, and while he's shown improvement in the subsequent five weeks, he hasn't made enough progress to the point where he can begin on-field workouts. With just two and a half weeks left in the regular season, Carpenter seems unlikely to be ready to return from the 10-day injured list by the first week of October, but he could have a chance at coming back for the postseason if the Yankees are able to make a deep run.
Sep 7 2022Carpenter (foot) underwent X-rays on Wednesday that showed healing, but he hasn't yet been cleared to resume baseball activities, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been sidelined with a broken foot for just under a month, but he didn't require surgery to address the issue. Although he's improving, his foot isn't yet healed to the point where he's able to resume baseball activities. The 36-year-old is slated to undergo another X-ray in 10-to-14 days, but he's running out of time to return during the regular season.
Aug 12 2022Carpenter won't require surgery on his broken foot, though he'll still be returning very late in the regular season if he makes it back at all, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter recently visited a second foot specialist, whose diagnosis aligned with what the Yankee had previously heard. He'll avoid weight-bearing activities for two weeks, at which point he'll be re-evaluated.
Aug 10 2022Carpenter said Wednesday that he "feels good" following an examination of his fractured left foot, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After fouling a ball off his left foot Monday, a doctor's examination left Carpenter feeling encouraged about a potential return later this season. He won't need to undergo surgery and has a timeline of between six and eight weeks which lines up right with the start of the postseason.
Aug 9 2022The Yankees placed Carpenter (foot) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's move to the IL was a foregone conclusion after the Yankees announced he suffered a fractured left foot in Monday's win over the Mariners. A timeline hasn't yet been established for Carpenter's return and will likely be contingent on whether he needs to undergo surgery to address the injury. Regardless, Carpenter looks to be at risk of missing most, if not all, of what's left of the 2022 season, making him a drop candidate in leagues where he's been rostered. Miguel Andujar was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to replace Carpenter, who has hit .305 with 15 home runs, 37 RBI and 28 runs in 47 games after joining the Yankees in late May.
Aug 8 2022Carpenter was diagnosed with a broken left foot after leaving Monday's game against Seattle, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is an unfavorable outcome for the Yankees, as Carpenter had emerged as one of the team's hottest hitters over the last month or so. It's still too early to determine a timetable for his return, as it'll depend on the severity of the fracture, but a trip to the injured list is all but a guarantee at this point.
Aug 1 2022Carpenter isn't starting Monday against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has started against just five left-handed pitchers this year and is getting a breather with southpaw Marco Gonzales on the mound for Seattle. Aaron Judge is shifting to right field while Aaron Hicks starts in center.
Jul 31 2022Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in an 8-2 win against Kansas City on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter made his first start in three games and came through with a solo shot to right field in the seventh inning. The homer was his 15th in only 40 games with the Yankees, and he's slashing an impressive .311/.425/.792 over that span. Despite the impressive numbers, Carpenter's playing time could take a hit with New York's acquisition of Andrew Benintendi, though the former is versatile enough to still carve out enough playing time to make an impact.
Jul 29 2022Carpenter isn't in the lineup Friday against Kansas City. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter is on the bench for a second consecutive matchup after going 3-for-16 with a homer, two runs, an RBI, a walk and six strikeouts over the last five games. Andrew Benintendi, Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge are starting in the outfield from left to right.
Jul 28 2022Carpenter is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter went 3-for-15 with a solo home run and a walk while starting each of the last four games in right field, and though it's Joey Gallo who will replace him in the lineup Thursday, the acquisition of Andrew Benintendi is more likely to dampen Carpenter's playing-time outlook moving forward. Giancarlo Stanton's (Achilles) recent move to the injured list temporarily alleviates the logjam in the corner outfield and at designated hitter, but once Stanton is healthy, the likes of Carpenter, Aaron Hicks and Gallo could all see their opportunities take a hit.
Jul 27 2022Carpenter will start in right field and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll man right field for the fourth game in a row and should serve as the primary option at the position following Giancarlo Stanton's (Achilles) placement on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. Carpenter has been cold out of the All-Star break with a 2-for-18 showing at the plate, but he's still holding down a monstrous 1.221 OPS through 118 plate appearances on the season.
Jul 24 2022Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in a loss to the Orioles on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's second-inning long ball gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead and pushed his total to 14 homers on the campaign. Incredibly, he's reached that number in only 89 at-bats. Among players with at least 100 plate appearances, Carpenter's 38.9 HR/FB is tops in the majors.
Jul 17 2022Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two home runs, a walk, three total runs and seven total RBI in Saturday's 14-1 rout over the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Boston took an early 1-0 lead, but Carpenter erased that with his three-run shot to right field in the first inning. The veteran connected on another three-run shot in the fifth, and he closed his ledger by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the eighth. It's been a remarkable resurgence for Carpenter this season -- he's slashing an incredible .360/.473/.933 with 13 homers, 31 RBI and 22 runs over just 92 plate appearances. Per ESPN, Carpenter is the fifth player in the expansion era to notch an OPS of at least 1.400 through his first 30 games of the season with a minimum of 90 plate appearances.
Jul 14 2022Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a walk, a two-run home run and two runs scored Thursday against Cincinnati. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter took Reiver Sanmartin yard in the 10th inning to tally his 11th homer of the season. After a brief power slump in late June, Carpenter now has five long balls in eight July starts while also driving in 11 and scoring seven runs in that span. Carpenter owns a .338/.451/.868 line across 83 plate appearances since joining the Yankees in late May.
Jul 12 2022Carpenter is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Since joining the Yankees in late May, Carpenter has turned in a monstrous 1.306 OPS in 77 plate appearances, which has allowed him to push for more playing time in an already crowded lineup. Even with American League MVP candidate Aaron Judge taking a seat Tuesday, the Yankees won't have room for Carpenter in the starting nine. Carpenter will hit the bench after starts in each of the past six games between designated hitter, left field and right.
Jul 11 2022Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, an additional run and a walk in Sunday's loss to the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though Sunday wasn't a great day from a team standpoint for the Yankees, Carpenter continued to impress with his third straight multi-hit performance. The veteran has gone 7-for-9 with two walks, two homers and four RBI over that stretch, and his season slash line now stands at an eye-popping .344/.447/.859 with 10 homers and 22 RBI over 77 plate appearances. He was rarely getting into the starting lineup near the end of June, but manager Aaron Boone has found a way to get his bat into the starting nine nearly every day in July, so Carpenter should be rostered in most fantasy leagues for as long as he remains hot.
Jul 9 2022Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two total runs and two total RBI in a 12-5 victory versus the Red Sox on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter once again took advantage of his opportunity to start, belting a run-scoring double in the second inning and a solo homer to right field in the fourth. The veteran has gone deep nine times and produced 20 RBI in only 70 plate appearances this season, and he's put together an impressive .305/.406/.814 slash line. Of note, Carpenter started in left field Friday -- per Marly Rivera of ESPN.com, it was his first start at that position since 2012. He's also played right field on two occasions this season. The positional versatility should allow manager Aaron Boone to get his bat in the lineup more frequently.
Jul 3 2022Carpenter went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against Cleveland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Prior to Saturday, Carpenter hadn't started a game since June 22, but he was in the lineup for the first game of the twin bill. The veteran took advantage of the opportunity, going deep in each of the sixth and ninth innings and producing a run-scoring single in the seventh. Though Carpenter's route to playing time remains complicated, he's been great for the Yankees when called upon this season, slashing .293/.420/.902 with eight homers and 17 RBI over 51 plate appearances.
Jun 12 2022Carpenter went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, seven RBI, three runs and a walk in Sunday's 18-4 win over the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter didn't start in any of the seven games leading up to Sunday's matchup, but he drew the start at third base in the series finale against the Cubs and led the team's offense with three extra-base hits during the blowout win. The 36-year-old will likely still face an uphill battle for playing time since the Yankees have plenty of infield depth, but it was encouraging to see a glimpse of dominance from the veteran.
Jun 8 2022Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game in Minnesota, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter started in six of his first eight games with the Yankees after signing with the team May 26, but he'll find himself on the bench for the fourth game in a row. The Yankees don't have an everyday role available for him now that Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson have recently returned from the injured list, so Carpenter will have to settle for the occasional spot start or pinch-hitting opportunity moving forward.
Jun 2 2022Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter led off the bottom of the first inning with his third home run of the season -- each of which has come since joining the Yankees on May 26. While he's had a more powerful impact than anticipated, it is worth noting that the long balls are his only three hits across 16 at-bats. Carpenter is also likely to find playing more difficult to come by if Giancarlo Stanton (ankle) is activated Saturday as expected.
Jun 1 2022Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Carpenter will take a seat with southpaw Reid Detmers on the hill for the Angels, paving the way for Aaron Judge to get a day out of the outfield to serve as the Yankees' designated hitter. After signing with the Yankees last Thursday, Carpenter started in four of his first five games with the team and went 2-for-13 with a pair of home runs and two walks. Carpenter will likely continue to play regularly against right-handed pitching until Giancarlo Stanton (ankle) returns from the injured list.
May 31 2022Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 9-1 win against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter took Noah Syndergaard deep for a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning, expanding the Yankees' early lead to 4-0. The homer was his second of the year and his second hit over five games since joining the team May 26. Carpenter has gone 2-for-13 with the homers over those contests, putting him in a precarious position once Josh Donaldson (shoulder) and Giancarlo Stanton (ankle) return from the 10-day injured list in early June. He'll likely have to produce a more well-rounded effort at the plate to retain a roster spot when the team gets those guys back.
May 29 2022Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With southpaw Shane McClanahan on the hill for Tampa Bay, the lefty-hitting Carpenter will retreat to the bench in the series finale. After signing with the Yankees on Thursday, Carpenter started in each of the team's subsequent three games and went a collective 1-for-8 with a solo home run, two walks and two additional runs.
May 28 2022Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's 2-0 win over the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Jeffrey Springs deep in the fourth inning, giving Carpenter his first hit as a Yankee. The long-time Cardinal will help fill in while players like Josh Donaldson (shoulder) and Giancarlo Stanton (ankle) are sidelined, but it remains to be seen if Carpenter will stick around once the Yankees get healthier.
May 27 2022Carpenter went 0-for-2 with a walk and two runs in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter signed with New York on Thursday and made his team debut as a designated hitter batting out of the No. 8 slot. Though he didn't collect any hits, the veteran reached base twice (via a walk and a hit-by-pitch) and came around to score on each occasion. Carpenter isn't expected to be an everyday player for the Yankees, but he could see a fair amount of playing time in the short term with a number of New York's regulars currently out of action.
May 26 2022Carpenter was added to the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 36-year-old joined the Yankees on a major-league deal Thursday, and he'll make his team debut as the designated hitter against the Rays after Aaron Hicks (hamstring) was scratched from the lineup. Carpenter has appeared in 21 games at Triple-A Round Rock this year and has hit .275 with six homers, 19 RBI, 15 runs and a steal.
May 19 2022Carpenter was released by the Rangers on Thursday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter joined Texas on a minor-league deal in mid-March, and he'll return to free agency after not receiving a chance in the big leagues. The 37-year-old appeared in 21 games and Triple-A Round Rock and hit .275/.379/.613 with six home runs, so another team could opt to sign him on a flier.
Apr 3 2022Carpenter said Sunday that he plans to report to Triple-A Round Rock with the hope of earning a call-up to the Rangers down the road, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After his production at the plate declined considerably over his final three seasons in St. Louis, Carpenter was forced to settle for a minor-league deal when he reached an agreement with the Rangers in March. The 36-year-old reworked his swing in the offseason with the hope of re-emerging as a big-league-caliber player, and though he wasn't rewarded with a spot on the Rangers' Opening Day roster, he's optimistic that he'll eventually force the organization's hand by performing well at Round Rock. The affiliate is only a few hours away from Carpenter's offseason home in Fort Worth, which likely explains why the three-time All-Star is willing to slum it in the minors at this point in his career.
Mar 18 2022Carpented signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Nov 4 2021Carpenter became a free agent Thursday after the Cardinals declined his team option, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 21 2021Carpenter 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. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Sep 6 2021Carpenter will start at third base and bat fifth Monday against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Aug 8 2021Carpenter knocked a go-ahead RBI double as a pinch hitter in a win over the Royals on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jul 27 2021Carpenter will serve as St. Louis' designated hitter and bat eighth Tuesday against Cleveland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jul 5 2021Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a two-RBI triple and a walk during Monday's 5-3 win at San Francisco. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jun 20 2021Carpenter is out of the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader with Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: 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.
Jun 14 2021Carpenter is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter isn't lighting the world on fire with a .764 OPS through his first 11 games of June, but the improved production at the plate is good enough to guarantee him a regular starting role at second base for the time being. The Cardinals could still choose to withhold the lefty-hitting Carpenter from the lineup against southpaws, which will be the case Monday with lefty Braxton Garrett on the hill for Miami. Edmundo Sosa will get the nod at the keystone, ending a streak of five consecutive starts for Carpenter.
Jun 11 2021Carpenter is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with five doubles, six RBI, three walks and two runs across his last 10 games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran's latest taste of offensive success came Wednesday against Cleveland, when he laced a first-inning bases-loaded double that plated all three runners. It was Carpenter's second multi-RBI effort of the last three contests, and he's managed to raise his average 51 points to .184 during the aforementioned 10-game stretch. Carpenter's on-base percentage has now climbed to .319 as well thanks in large part to his 14.3 percent walk rate, and he's drawn starts in six games during his hot streak.
Jun 7 2021Carpenter entered Sunday's loss to the Reds in the sixth inning as a pinch hitter, lacing a two-run double and scoring a run in one plate appearance. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran is slowly but surely starting to string some success together at the plate, as he's now reached safely in four consecutive games. Carpenter's gradual surge actually dates further back, as he's slashing .304/.385/.522 with five doubles, three RBI, three walks and three runs across the 26 plate appearances he's logged in the last 11 contests.
Jun 6 2021Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter had started each of the Cardinals' last three games -- twice at second base and once at first base -- but he'll take a seat in the series finale while Tommy Edman returns to the keystone. Edman could end up seeing more time in right field for the foreseeable future while both Harrison Bader (rib) and Justin Williams (neck) are on the injured list, so Carpenter could have a path to semi-regular work at second base in the short term.
May 31 2021Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two doubles in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Operating out of the leadoff spot for the first time all season, Carpenter came through with his second and third doubles of his last two starts. The struggling veteran has actually boosted his batting average 38 points with his pair of multi-hit efforts in that span, but his season slash line still sits at an unacceptable .151/.292/.304 across 96 plate appearances.
May 26 2021Carpenter served as the designated hitter in an interleague loss to the White Sox on Tuesday and went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's a testament to how difficult the 2021 season has been for Carpenter that Tuesday's production resulted in both his first double and first multi-hit effort of the campaign. The struggling veteran did not make the starting nine for Wednesday's matinee against Chicago, but he did draw back-to-back starts -- the former at first base -- in the first two games of the series.
May 16 2021Carpenter is slashing .100/.280/.100 with only two singles and five walks over the 25 plate appearances covering his 12 game appearances in May. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The struggling veteran had shown a burst of life by homering in back-to-back games as a pinch hitter to close out April, but that proved to be just a flash of success that quickly vanished. Carpenter has only drawn four starts during the current month, and with good reason -- he currently seems incapable of snapping out of a funk that dates back to the beginning of the 2020 campaign. Carpenter's .111 BABIP certainly isn't helping, but both a 54.1 percent flyball rate and career-worst 32.5 percent strikeout rate are equal culprits, at minimum. Ironically, Carpenter's most impressive performance to date in May came on the mound Saturday night against the Padres -- the 35-year-old fired 1.1 scoreless innings during which he allowed just a pair of singles to close out the blowout loss.
Apr 30 2021Carpenter blasted a pinch-hit three-run home run in Friday's 7-3 win over the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has now homered as a pinch hitter in each of the last two contests, as he provided the Cardinals with some insurance with his three-run shot in the top of the sixth inning Friday. The 35-year-old hasn't started in any of the last five games and is now hitting .116 with three home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs this season.
Apr 29 2021Carpenter slugged a pinch-hit three-run home run in Thursday's win over the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter turned a one-run deficit into a two-run lead with a long ball off Aaron Nola, Carpenter's second this season. The batted-ball numbers point to a lot of bad luck for Carpenter early on, but the lack of production has eaten into his time regardless. His last start for St. Louis was back on April 23.
Apr 25 2021Carpenter is not in Sunday's lineup against the Reds, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter saw an increase in playing time as Tommy Edman was forced to play in the outfield regularly due to injuries. However, the return of Tyler O'Neill has allowed Edman to return to second base on a regular basis, cutting into Carpenter's playing time.
Apr 20 2021Carpenter is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tommy Edman will move from right field to second base while Carpenter heads to the bench for only the second time in seven games. With Tyler O'Neill (groin) and Harrison Bader (forearm) both on the injured list, Edman will be needed in the outfield more frequently in the short term, so Carpenter should see steady work at second base. The veteran is sitting on a .419 OPS and 35.9 percent strikeout rate through 39 plate appearances, but a 26.3 percent barrel rate and 68.4 percent hard-hit rate -- both which rank in the top one percent of all players -- suggest that better days could be ahead for Carpenter.
Apr 18 2021Carpenter will start at second base and bat fifth Sunday against the Phillies, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter moved to the bench for Saturday's 9-4 win over the Phillies, but he'll be back in the lineup for the fifth time in six games Sunday. With Tommy Edman having logged more time in right field of late due to injuries to Harrison Bader (forearm) and Tyler O'Neill (groin), Carpenter appears to have seized hold of an everyday role at the keystone.
Apr 13 2021Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored Tuesday against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter started his second consecutive game at second base, with Tommy Edman shifting to right field to cover for several injuries. He managed only one hit, but made it count by taking Stephen Strasburg yard in the third inning for a two-run home run. It was Carpenter's first long ball of the season, and his first real production at the plate, as he entered the game having collected just one hit in his first 14 at-bats of the campaign.
Apr 7 2021Carpenter will start at second base and bat fifth Wednesday against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cardinals manager Mike Shildt may have cut bait with the platoon of Justin Williams and Austin Dean in right field, as Tommy Edman will cover the position for the second day in a row. Edman's move to the outfield will open up the keystone for Carpenter, who picked up his first start in Tuesday's 4-2 win. He went hitless in three at-bats to continue his rough stretch at the plate that has lasted since spring training, but Shildt looks like he may give the veteran the chance to work his way out of the prolonged slump. Carpenter is helped by the fact that Williams and Dean have combined to go 0-for-17 with 10 strikeouts so far this season.
Mar 28 2021Cardinals manager Mike Shildt confirmed Sunday that Carpenter will begin the season as a reserve after Tommy Edman was named St. Louis' everyday second baseman, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: St. Louis may have considered giving Edman more work in the corner outfield if Carpenter had swung a hot bat this spring, but that failed to materialize. Instead, the 35-year-old has gotten off to a 1-for-34 start to the Grapefruit League slate heading into Sunday's game against the Nationals, effectively ending any hope Carpenter had of beginning the season as a full-time player. Carpenter should still have a decent chance at cracking the lineup when the Cardinals are playing in an American League park, or when Edman, Nolan Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt require a day out of the field.
Mar 23 2021Carpenter is hitting .033 (1-for-30) with one RBI, seven walks, 13 strikeouts and a run over 14 Grapefruit League games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Carpenter isn't in danger of missing out on the Opening Day roster despite his abysmal spring performance, especially considering he's due $18.5 million this coming season and the fact he isn't taking up a starting spot. Hummel also notes Carpenter's left-handed bat and defensive versatility are two other factors in his favor for the time being, but adds it would naturally behoove the veteran to get off to a productive start after the type of spring he's had and in light of his pedestrian .216/.332/.372 line over the last two seasons.
Mar 5 2021Carpenter is 0-for-8 with two walks and four strikeouts across his first four Grapefruit League games. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's certainly early and the sample is therefore small, but Carpenter's struggles are an unfortunate development with respect to his bid for regular playing time to start the season. Manager Mike Shildt has gone on record with his desire to try and keep Carpenter's bat in the lineup as much as possible despite the fact Nolan Arenado is now entrenched at the hot corner; nevertheless, the 35-year-old has plenty to prove after generating a combined .216/.332/.372 line across his 661 plate appearances over the last two seasons, and with the designated hitter currently not in the National League's 2021 plans, he could have a difficult time getting consistent at-bats unless he shows marked improvement over the balance of spring training.
Feb 19 2021Carpenter's exact fit with the Cardinals following the offseason acquisition of Nolan Arenado is expected to be sorted out during spring training, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The versatile veteran has struggled considerably at the plate across the last two seasons, generating a combined .216/.332/.372 line with a 26.8 percent strikeout rate across 661 plate appearances over that span. Carpenter still has some pop in his bat, however, as 47 (26 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs) of his 120 hits in that sample went for extra bases. Consequently, manager Mike Shildt is receptive to finding a way to keep Carpenter's bat in the lineup on a consistent basis, but the potential lack of a universal DH in 2021 will make that a more challenging feat to accomplish if it comes to pass. Carpenter would be a good potential fit for the team's currently vacant leadoff spot, as he's started 759 career games at the top of the order; however, the 35-year-old would naturally need a position in the field as well, and while he does have experience playing both first and second base, a platoon role at the keystone could ultimately be his best path to occasional playing time,
Sep 27 2020Carpenter is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's absence from the lineup in a must-win game for the Cardinals illustrates just how far his stock has fallen since he slugged a career-high 36 home runs two seasons ago. His OPS for the abbreviated 2020 campaign sits at .639, 258 points below his mark from 2018. Tommy Edman will draw the start at third base Sunday over Carpenter, who could be relegated to a bench role should St. Louis punch its ticket to the postseason.
Sep 26 2020Carpenter went 2-for-3 with an infield single and an RBI double during a win over the Brewers in the second game of a doubleheader Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old snapped a brief 0-for-7 funk with his productive night, although he still remains well short of the Mendoza Line with just a .188 average on the campaign. Carpenter has shown occasional glimpses of his trademark power with 10 extra-base hits (six doubles, four home runs) across 166 plate appearances, but the veteran remains held down by a career-worst 28.9 percent strikeout rate.
Sep 25 2020Carpenter will be on the bench for the first of Friday's two games against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter hits the bench with lefty Brent Suter on the mound for Milwaukee. He'll likely return to the lineup for the nightcap against righty Josh Lindblom. Tommy Edman starts at third base in his absence.
Sep 23 2020Carpenter isn't in Wednesday's lineup against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has reached base in each of the past three contests, but he's largely struggled late in the season. Tommy Edman will start at third base Wednesday.
Sep 22 2020Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Royals on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran squared up on a fourth-inning Carlos Hernandez offering and sent it 439 feet into center field. The round tripper accounted for the Cardinals' only run of the night and was Carpenter's first since Sept. 12. Despite Monday's success, it's been another difficult season at the plate for Carpenter, who's still in the midst of a 2-for-26 slump that covers his last nine games and has sunk his season average back down to .188.
Sep 17 2020Carpenter is not in the lineup Thursday against the Pirates, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will receive a breather after going hitless in his last 13 at-bats. Tommy Edman will start at third base while Rangel Ravelo works in right field Thursday.
Sep 15 2020Carpenter will start at third base and bat seventh Tuesday against the Brewers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old was originally absent from Tuesday's lineup against southpaw Brett Anderson, but he'll join the starting nine in place of Kolten Wong (undisclosed). Carpenter is 9-for-34 with an .890 OPS through 14 games in September.
Sep 14 2020Carpenter went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, a double and two runs in a loss to the Reds on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was the only Cardinal to churn out multiple hits in the five-run loss, with the veteran extending a hot streak at the plate that has seen him produce a trio of two-hit efforts in the last four contests. It's a highly welcome sight for Carpenter's long-suffering fantasy managers, who just saw him finally get his average over the Mendoza Line for the first time since Aug. 27 on Saturday. Carpenter has also shown a penchant for clutch hitting in particular of late, as he now has six RBI over the last six games.
Sep 12 2020Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter gave the Cardinals some breathing room in the sixth inning with a leadoff solo shot. The veteran infielder has three homers, 20 RBI and 17 runs scored in 35 games this season while slashing .204/.366/.337 across 123 plate appearances.
Sep 11 2020Carpenter went 2-for-2 with an RBI single and a run-scoring double during a loss to the Tigers in the second game of a doubleheader Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After sitting out Game 1 of the twin bill, Carpenter was the only other source of runs outside of Tommy Edman in Game 2. The veteran was making his first start since Monday, but he's made relatively good use of his opportunities thus far in September. Carpenter has managed to generate five RBI on just five hits during the month, and thanks in part to the five walks he's also drawn, he boasts a .423 on-base percentage across 26 plate appearances over that span.
Sep 10 2020Carpenter is not in the lineup for Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is really scuffling at the plate, batting .111 with one extra-base hit over his last 36 at-bats. Thankfully, Carpenter has at least walked 11 times over that stretch. Tommy Edman will start at the hot corner while Lane Thomas gets a start in the outfield.
Sep 8 2020Carpenter is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has just three hits in his last 12 games, though the veteran was never all that likely to start twice in one day. Tommy Edman will be the third baseman in his absence.
Sep 7 2020Carpenter will start at third base and will bat seventh Monday against the Cubs, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was on the bench for the last two games, likely just as a means of hitting the reset button after he slashed .116/.367/.209 over his previous 15 games. While the 34-year-old still boasts a patient eye at the plate (13.4 percent walk rate since 2019), his power production and strikeout rate have been trending in undesirable directions over the past two seasons. He's struck out in 26.8 percent of his plate appearances and has posted a .156 ISO during that two-season stretch, both well off his career marks of 19.9 percent and .191, respectively.
Sep 4 2020Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-1 loss to the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was the only Cardinal to manage a hit off Cubs starter Yu Darvish, and that hit left the yard in the sixth inning. It's the second homer of the year for Carpenter, to go with 14 RBI and 14 runs scored across 27 games. He's slashing .181/.340/.289 through 103 plate appearances.
Aug 26 2020Carpenter will bat sixth and start at third base Wednesday against the Royals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was originally set to be on the bench, but he'll join the starting nine with Dexter Fowler sitting out the game in protest of the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Aug 19 2020Matt Carpenter went 2-for-7 with a grand slam during Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old started the twin bill off strong with the 410-foot grand slam during the first inning of the matinee, and he was thrown out at second base during the nightcap while attempting to stretch his single into a double. Carpenter has a .238/.304/.357 slash line with one homer, 11 RBI and 13 strikeouts through 46 plate appearances this season.
Aug 17 2020Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in a loss to the White Sox on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter prevented the indignity of a shutout for the Cardinals by plating Tommy Edman and Paul Goldschmidt with a sixth-inning single for the only two Cardinals runs of the day. The veteran had a productive weekend against the White Sox despite going just 2-for-11 in three games, as he drove in four runs overall during that stretch.
Aug 5 2020Carpenter, who's filled the designated hitter role for the first five games of the season, is projected to shift to third base as part of the domino effect of Paul DeJong's (illness) absence, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has started 635 career games at the hot corner, so the move, which is necessitated by Tommy Edman shifting over to shortstop in DeJong's stead, should be a good fit and should continue to keep the veteran's bat in the lineup on an everyday basis. Carpenter is slashing .200/.294/.267 over his first 17 plate appearances, but he should have plenty of opportunities to improve on those numbers for the time being without having to be overly concerned about a benching.
Jul 29 2020Carpenter is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Twins, FOX Sports Midwest reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter had been in the lineup for each of the Cardinals' first four games, all of which came against right-handed pitchers. He'll hit the bench for the first time Wednesday with a southpaw (Rich Hill) on the mound for Minnesota. Rangel Ravelo gets his first start of the season as the designated hitter in his absence.
Jul 18 2020Carpenter, who slugged a two-run homer during Friday's intrasquad game, was actually most satisfied with a long out he made because of the quality of his improved swing, Matt Rogers of MLB.com reports. "For me, 100 percent, it was the swing on the backdoor cutter from Miles [Mikolas]," Carpenter said. "For me to be able to take that swing on that pitch is right where I want to be. That pitch, to be able to stay on that pitch and be able to hit in the gap and get a chance for an extra-base hit -- I was way happier with that swing." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran is considered a strong candidate to handle designated-hitter duties during the coming season, and he operated in that role Friday while hitting fifth. Carpenter spent considerable time this offseason working on his swing and looking to find his "hitting identity" after a pair of uneven seasons at the plate in 2018 and 2019 that have featured the two highest strikeout rates (23.4 and 26.2 percent) of his career. Specifically, Carpenter has been looking to hit to all fields more consistently in a manner akin to prior seasons, and he was encouragingly able to accomplish that both Friday and earlier in summer camp as well. The 34-year-old is also embracing the idea of primarily slotting in at DH, remarking Friday he's "more than willing to do it and learn it and adapt to it."
Jun 25 2020Carpenter could be manager Mike Shildt's most logical choice to fill the designated hitter role that will be universally implemented during the truncated 2020 regular season, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Earlier in the shutdown of play, it had already been speculated the veteran infielder would make for a strong candidate were the DH to be a National League staple during the 2020 campaign. With official confirmation of such having come to pass, Rogers explains that Carpenter likely remains the odds-on favorite to fill the role most days. Not only is Carpenter an accomplished hitter, but there would be no defensive drop-off with having Tommy Edman replace him at third base. Such a development would not only get Edman's impressive bat in the lineup on a regular basis, it would also have the domino effect of freeing up space in the outfield for another one of the team's array of impressive young players.
May 17 2020Carpenter presents as a potentially ideal designated hitter candidate if the position is instituted universally for the abbreviated 2020 regular season, Will Laws of SI.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Laws makes a case for one DH candidate for every National League team, and Carpenter gets his nod on the Cardinals for a couple of reasons. One is the fact that slotting in the veteran at DH would allow him to solely focus on fixing the offensive side of his game after he slumped to a .226/.334/.392 line across 492 plate appearances in 2019. Another is that removing Carpenter from the defensive equation would allow Tommy Edman to potentially slot in at third base on an everyday basis, which would in turn possibly lead to more outfield playing time for a promising prospect like Lane Thomas. Last season notwithstanding, Carpenter's past body of work lends credence to the notion he could thrive in a DH capacity, as he racked up a career-best 78 extra-base hits (42 doubles, 36 home runs) and .523 slugging percentage in 2018.
Apr 9 2020Carpenter had some encouraging at-bats over the last two Grapefruit League games before spring training was suspended, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Hummel notes Carpenter drew three walks and slugged an opposite-field home run off the Mets' Jacob deGrom in his last five plate appearances before play was paused. The round tripper was especially noteworthy, not only because it came against a two-time Cy Young award winner, but because the veteran had been focusing on hitting the ball the other way all spring after frequently falling victim to the shift during a 2019 season in which he hit just .226. Hummel also reports Carpenter appeared to be much more confident this spring despite hitting just .235 (4-for-17) during eight Grapefruit League contests, and that the 34-year-old should have a chance to see more standard defensive alignments as a No. 2 hitter whenever projected leadoff man and stolen-base threat Kolten Wong gets on base ahead of him.
Mar 6 2020Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a Grapefruit League tie against the Mets on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter struggled with some relatively minor back issues earlier in Grapefruit League play, but he's subsequently been able to suit up for three games without issues. The two-run round tripper Thursday was Carpenter's third spring hit and first of the extra-base variety. The veteran is looking to rebound from an injury-shortened and sub-par season in 2019, one that saw him generate the second-lowest batting average (.226), on-base percentage (.334) and slugging percentage (.392) of his career.
Mar 2 2020Carpenter (back) will start at third base and bat third in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A bout of back tightness kept Carpenter out of the lineup for the Cardinals' previous four spring games, but the veteran gained clearance to rejoin the starting nine after he was able to complete full workouts over the weekend without incident. Before his brief shutdown, Carpenter had made two starts this spring, going 2-for-4 at the dish.
Mar 1 2020Carpenter (back) will be in the lineup for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was previously expected to rejoin the lineup sometime this weekend, but he's instead been taking batting practice and fielding ground balls. Regardless, it doesn't appear the back issue will impact the veteran infielder's availability for Opening Day, barring a setback.
Feb 28 2020Manager Mike Shildt said he expects Carpenter (back) to rejoin the lineup "Sunday-ish," Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran infielder was previously expected to return to action Saturday, but the team will continue to take a conservative approach with his recovery. Carpenter hasn't suffered any setbacks and is expected to take batting practice Friday, which figures to be one of the final hurdles before he's officially cleared.
Feb 27 2020Carpenter (back) completed a full-body workout and ran sprints Thursday, Jeff Jones of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was scratched from the lineup ahead of Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins after experiencing back tightness, but his removal looks to have been strictly precautionary. The Cardinals' training staff was satisfied with how he looked after re-evaluating him Thursday, leaving Carpenter optimistic that he'll be ready to play Saturday against the Nationals. He's expected to take batting practice Friday as a final test of his health before drawing back into the spring lineup.
Feb 26 2020Carpenter (back) called his removal from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins "super preventative" and expects to be back in the lineup Saturday, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's absence appears to be little more than early spring caution. The veteran did make a trip to the injured list last July with a lower-back strain, however, so it's somewhat worrisome that he's already dealing with back issues again.
Oct 15 2019Carpenter will sit again for the fourth game of the NLCS against the Nationals on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has gone just 1-for-12 at the plate thus far in the playoffs. Jose Martinez will again get the nod in right field, pushing Tommy Edman to third base.
Oct 14 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup for Game 3 of the NLCS against the Nationals on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts over the first two games of the series, but should be available as a pinch hitter as he was for much of the NLDS. Tommy Edman will shift to third base with Jose Martinez starting in right field.
Oct 6 2019Carpenter is starting at third base and batting sixth in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Braves on Sunday, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was on the bench for the first two games of the series and delivered an RBI single in his Game 1 pinch-hit appearance. The veteran infielder struggled with a .726 OPS for the season, but he came on strong in the back half of September with an .889 OPS in his last 11 games.
Sep 30 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's victory over Chicago. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter connected for a three-run shot to right field in the third inning to contribute to the division-clinching win. The 33-year-old finished in ninth place in NL MVP voting last year but largely disappointed in 2019, concluding the season with a .226/.334/.392 slash line along with 15 homers, 46 RBI and 129 strikeouts in 492 plate appearances.
Sep 30 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's victory over Chicago.
Sep 27 2019Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Friday's 8-2 loss to the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter's blast came off Cubs starter Alec Mills in the fourth inning. Carpenter also reached after getting hit by a pitch in the seventh. The infielder has 14 homers, 43 RBI and 58 runs scored this season, but he's managed only a .228/.337/.390 slash line in 127 games.
Sep 22 2019Carpenter is starting at third base Sunday for the third straight day. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Starts have been few and far between for Carpenter in September, but he has gotten a chance to see regular at-bats this weekend with Kolten Wong (hamstring) sidelined. Carpenter will play third base Sunday and hit sixth in the Cardinals' batting order.
Sep 20 2019Carpenter came into Thursday's extra-inning win over the Cubs as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the fifth inning and went 1-for-2 with a go-ahead solo home run in the 10th inning. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter launched a one-out, 431-foot solo shot to center off Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel in the top of the 10th inning, snapping a 6-6 tie with a blast that would end up being the difference in the game. Manager Mike Shildt confirmed earlier in the week that Carpenter was keeping a positive mindset despite riding the pine frequently in recent games, and Thursday's homer, his first since Aug. 25, seems to bear out that the 33-year-old is keeping himself mentally ready.
Sep 17 2019Carpenter has been a healthy scratch over the Cardinals' last four games, his longest such stretch of non-injury-related inactivity this season, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "He continues to be a really good teammate," said manager Mike Shildt, who had a conversation Monday with Carpenter. "He feels really good about where he's at with his swing and where he's at with his game. I applaud the fact (that) I know he wants to be in there every day." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter is sporting career worsts (when factoring out his initial seven-game big-league cup of coffee in 2011) across his .225/.333/.378 line this season, so his declining playing time in the midst of a postseason push isn't necessarily surprising. Shildt's comments indicate the Cardinals' skipper is well attuned to the adverse effects a multi-game benching could have on the mindset of a prideful veteran, but it appears the 33-year-old is keeping a positive mindset overall during his demotion.
Sep 13 2019Carpenter is not starting Friday against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran third baseman will head to the bench for the third time in four contests as Tommy Edman receives another start at the hot corner. Carpenter has been better with a .995 OPS in his last 16 games, but he seems unlikely to retake the starting role with Edman also playing well in that stretch.
Sep 9 2019Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a double and a run in a win over the Pirates on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will never look back on his difficult 2019 season fondly, but he's at least showing some signs of potentially finishing an otherwise disappointing campaign on a positive note. The veteran has reached safely in five straight games, and he's gone 6-for-15 with two doubles, two RBI, three walks and two runs overall in the seven September contests during which he's logged at least one plate appearance. While his season line still sits at an underwhelming .226/.336/.380, all of his numbers have consistently inched upward since Aug. 25, the start of a 13-game period during which Carpenter has hit .387 across 37 trips to the plate.
Sep 6 2019Carpenter went 2-for-3 with an RBI infield single, two walks and a run in a win over the Giants on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter was all the way down in the No. 7 spot in the order, but that didn't stop him from turning in one of his more well-rounded outings. The veteran has shown slight improvement at the plate since the latter part of August, raising his average nine points across the last 11 games. However, his season line currently sits at .221/.332/.371, with all three figures qualifying as the lowest of his career outside of his initial seven-game big-league cup of coffee back in 2011.
Sep 4 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tommy Edman starts at third base for the third consecutive contest. Wednesday's game is against lefty Madison Bumgarner, but Carpenter's absences Monday and Tuesday were against righties. Manager Mike Shildt told FOX Sports Midwest in mid-August that Edman had "more than earned his opportunity to get out there and play every day," and it seems most of Edman's starts will come at Carpenter's expense. Carpenter is batting just .215/.325/.366 in 429 plate appearances this season.
Sep 3 2019Carpenter isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter is set for another day off after also taking a seat for Monday's series opener. Tommy Edman starts at third base and will bat seventh.
Sep 2 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Giants.
Aug 31 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Reds.
Aug 28 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Brewers.
Aug 25 2019Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs scored, two RBI and a walk in Sunday's 11-4 win over Colorado.
Aug 24 2019Carpenter is not in Saturday's lineup against the Rockies.
Aug 23 2019Carpenter is not in Friday's lineup against the Rockies.
Aug 22 2019Carpenter is not in Thursday's lineup against the Rockies.
Aug 20 2019Carpenter is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Brewers.
Aug 18 2019Carpenter, who went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in a loss to the Reds on Saturday, had last left the yard June 17, a span of two full months.
Aug 11 2019Carpenter is not in Sunday's lineup against the Pirates.
Aug 9 2019Carpenter (foot) is starting at third base and hitting sixth Friday against the Pirates.
Aug 7 2019Carpenter, who went 2-for-2 with a walk in a loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday, left the game in the ninth inning after getting hit in the foot by a pitch, the Associated
Aug 5 2019Carpenter (foot) went 1-for-5 in a loss to the Athletics on Sunday, his first game back from the injured list.
Aug 4 2019Carpenter (foot) was activated off the 10-day injured list Sunday. He'll start at the hot corner and bat leadoff in the Cardinals' series finale in Oakland.
Aug 3 2019Carpenter (foot) could return for Sunday's game against Oakland, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Jul 30 2019Carpenter (foot) will continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis throughout the week, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Jul 29 2019Carpenter (foot) has gone 0-for-16 with three walks in his five rehab games.
Jul 26 2019Carpenter (foot) went 0-for-3 with a walk in Double-A Springfield's loss to Amarillo on Friday while playing eight innings at third base.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 25 2019Manager Mike Shildt said Thursday that Carpenter (foot) will likely remain on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis \"through the early part of the weekend,\" Jeff Jones of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 23 2019Carpenter (foot) went 0-for-2 with a run and a walk in Triple-A Memphis' loss to New Orleans on Tuesday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 22 2019Carpenter (foot) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Jake Crouse of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 21 2019Carpenter (foot) has resumed baseball activities, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 20 2019The Cardinals are hopeful Carpenter (foot) will be ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week, the Associated Press<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 16 2019Carpenter was placed on the 10-day injured list<\/a> with a right foot contusion Tuesday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 16 2019Carpenter (foot) isn't starting<\/a> Tuesday against the Pirates.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 15 2019Carpenter left Monday's game against the Pirates in the seventh inning after fouling a ball off his foot, Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 14 2019Carpenter, who was reinstated from the injured list last Thursday, is 2-for-9 with six strikeouts in the first two games following the All-Star break.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 11 2019Carpenter (back) was reinstated<\/a> from the 10-day injured list Thursday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 6 2019Carpenter (back) resumed baseball activities Saturday in St. Louis, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 2 2019Carpenter (back) expects to return from the injured list immediately after the All-Star break July 12, Mark Saxon of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 2 2019Carpenter (back) expects to return from the injured list after the All-Star break July 12, Mark Saxon of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 2 2019Carpenter was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a lower-back strain, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 2 2019Carpenter (illness) isn't starting<\/a> Tuesday's game against the Mariners.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 30 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game against the Padres.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 30 2019Manager Mike Shildt said on KMOQ Sports Radio<\/a> that Carpenter is out of the lineup Sunday due to a stomach issue.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 29 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup for Saturday's game versus the Padres, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 28 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup<\/a> for Friday's game against the Padres.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 26 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup<\/a> Wednesday against the Athletics.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 26 2019Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a two-run triple and a run in a loss to the Athletics on Tuesday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 22 2019Carpenter went 0-for-3 with two walks, a stolen base and two runs in a win over the Angels on Friday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 18 2019Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and three runs overall in a win over the Marlins on Monday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 17 2019Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and three runs scored in Monday's 5-0 win over Miami.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 15 2019Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a double, a run-scoring sacrifice fly, two walks and a stolen base in a win over the Mets on Friday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 11 2019Carpenter isn't starting<\/a> Tuesday's game against the Marlins.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 10 2019Carpenter went 2-for-5 in a loss to the Cubs on Sunday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 8 2019Carpenter (shin) is back in action Saturday<\/a> against the Cubs, leading off and playing third base as usual.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 7 2019Carpenter is not starting Friday<\/a> against the Cubs.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 7 2019Carpenter is sitting Friday against the Cubs with a bruised shin but is available off the bench, Anne Rogers of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 6 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base Thursday against the Reds.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 5 2019Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Reds.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 5 2019Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Reds.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 2 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game versus the Cubs.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 31 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's 2-1 extra-inning win over the Cubs.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 30 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup<\/a> for Thursday's game against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 30 2019Carpenter went 1-for-1 with a solo home run Thursday against the Phillies.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 25 2019Carpenter went 3-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Braves.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 24 2019Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-2 loss to Atlanta.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 24 2019Carpenter is starting at third base and batting fifth<\/a> Friday against the Braves.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 19 2019Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI ground-rule double and a run in a win over the Rangers on Saturday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 19 2019Carpenter is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 17 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Braves on Thursday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 15 2019Carpenter, who went 1-for-5 with an RBI double, a walk and a run in a win over the Braves on Tuesday, will remain in the leadoff spot for the time being despite his season-long struggles, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com<\/a> reports. \"He's got the right approach for it,\" manager Mike Shildt said. \"He's an All-Star-caliber player, an MVP-caliber player. He understands what that looks like. We all want to see the results, including him, [be] more consistent.\"Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 12 2019Carpenter is out of the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game against the Pirates.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 10 2019Carpenter went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, two walks and three runs in a win over the Pirates on Thursday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 7 2019Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in a win over the Phillies on Monday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 24 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in a loss to the Reds on Monday.Although the Cardinals offense was largely stuck in a funk Monday, Carpenter is seemingly immune from any offensive malaise these days. He laced his 31st double of the season off starter Luis Castillo for one of his two hits, extending his hitting streak to eight games in the process. Carpenter prolific July has seen him slash .364/.481/.939 over 81 plate appearances thus far, a span during which he's also generated an eye-popping 1.421 OPS.
Jul 21 2018Carpenter is on the bench for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cubs.Carpenter picked up his fifth homer of the series in the afternoon game and has now homered in his last five games. He won't get the chance to add to that in the second game Saturday, with Jose Martinez starting at first base in his place.
Jul 21 2018Carpenter combined to go 2-for-4 in the Cardinals' doubleheader Saturday and hit a solo home run in both games, including a pinch-hit homer in the second contest.The surface of the sun has nothing on Carpenter, who now has eight homers in a six-game streak, highlighted by his historic trio during a seven-RBI effort Friday. Carpenter tagged Tyler Chatwood in the third inning of the first contest and lifted one off Randy Rosario as a pinch hitter in the nightcap. For the year, he's slashed .277/.386/.593 with 25 homers, 53 RBI and 64 runs scored in 394 plate appearances. Heading into Saturday, he rattled off a .352/.470/.926 for the month, in which he now has 10 homers. Carpenter owns the fantasy baseball world right now.
Jul 20 2018Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Cubs on Thursday.Carpenter essentially started the second half of the season the way he ended the first, namely, leaving the yard for a third straight game. In what is now a two-month-plus tear at the plate, the 32-year-old has boosted his once anemic .558 OPS to .909, which qualifies as the 16th-highest in all of baseball.
Jul 20 2018Carpenter went 5-for-5 with two doubles, three home runs, four runs scored and seven RBI in Friday's 18-5 rout of the Cubs.The five extra-base hits in a game tied the major-league record, and incredibly Carpenter accomplished the feat in only six innings, getting the rest of the day off in the blowout. He's now homered in four straight games dating back to before the All-Star break, and 16 of his 23 home runs on the season have come since June 5, a stretch during which he's hitting .352 (50-for-142).
Jul 16 2018Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in a win over the Reds on Sunday.Carpenter led off the bottom of the first with his 19th homer, which served as his second in the last two games. The 32-year-old heads into the All-Star break having reached safely in six consecutive games, the latest example of the dramatic turnaround to his season. Carpenter was slashing .199/.320/.370 as recently as May 23, but he'll enter the second half of the season with a .263/.373/.530 line that includes 47 extra-base hits (28 doubles, 19 homers) and 43 RBI.
Jul 14 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Saturday's loss to the Reds.Carpenter led off the game with his 18th homer of the year (third of July), sending a Luis Castillo pitch down the right-field line. The infielder has enjoyed a renaissance in the first half of 2018, compiling an impressive .263/.372/.522 slash line with 42 RBI and 56 runs over 374 plate appearances.
Jul 12 2018Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks in a loss to the White Sox on Wednesday.Carpenter was essentially the lone bright spot in the shutout loss, logging the Cardinals' lone extra-base hit of the night. The veteran infielder has continued to be a thorn in the side of opposing pitching to open July, as evidenced by a .432 on-base percentage that's comprised of 10 hits and nine walks over his first 10 games (nine starts) of the month. Six of those hits have been of the extra-base variety, leading to an impressive .571 slugging percentage over that span as well.
Jul 9 2018Carpenter slugged a three-run home run in a pinch-hit at-bat during a loss to the Giants on Sunday.Called on to hit for reliever Brett Cecil in the eighth, Carpenter came through with a 391-foot shot to right that plated Paul DeJong and Yairo Munoz. The round tripper is just the latest taste of offensive success for the veteran, who's turned his season around by boosting his average 59 points since May 25.
Jul 8 2018Carpenter is out of the lineup Sunday against the Giants.St. Louis manager Mike Matheny will use an exclusively right-handed lineup to counter southpaw Madison Bumgarner, with the lefty-hitting Carpenter giving way at third base to Jedd Gyorko. Carpenter had started each of the Cardinals' last 22 games and has been one of the top offensive producers in the league over that stretch, slashing .321/.439/.728 with eight home runs, 22 runs and 15 RBI.
Jul 5 2018Carpenter went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, two doubles, a walk and a run in a win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.Carpenter turned in another one of his superior performances from the top of the order, generating his third multi-hit effort over the last nine games. The veteran infielder is hitting a scorching .469 (15-for-32) with six doubles, two home runs, four RBI, six walks and 10 runs over that span, a stretch that includes a 5-for-5 tally against the Indians on June 26. After seeing his average and slugging percentage dip as low as .199 and .370, respectively, as recently as May 23, Carpenter has boosted those figures to .263 and .509, a season-changing surge that shows no signs of abating.
Jul 5 2018Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, two walks and three runs scored Thursday against the Giants.Carpenter took Johnny Cueto deep in the second inning for his 16th home run of the season. He now has at least one extra-base hit in three of his past four games and six of his last 10, helping him vault into the top 10 in the National League in OPS. While his power power production stands out, Carpenter has also managed to raise his average to .264, his highest mark since April 2.
Jun 27 2018Carpenter went 5-for-5 with two home runs, a double, three RBI and five runs scored in Tuesday's 11-2 win over the Indians.Carpenter blasted solo home runs in his first and last at-bats of the game, adding in a double and a couple of singles in between. The monster night comes on the heels of a three-hit effort the day before, and he's been red-hot all June. In 91 at-bats in the month, Carpenter is slashing .319/.404/.659 with eight homers, seven doubles, 15 RBI and 23 runs scored.
Jun 26 2018Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double and a run in a win over the Indians on Monday.The veteran infielder has proven that his surge in the second half of May was no mirage, as he's followed it up with a solid June. Factoring in Monday's production, Carpenter has racked up seven multi-hit efforts so far this month while also compiling 12 extra-base hits (six doubles, six home runs) and 12 RBI.
Jun 24 2018Carpenter went 1-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and two walks in a 8-2 win over the Brewers on Sunday.Carpenter is up to 33 RBI and 39 runs scored with 13 long balls this season. He's slashing a pedestrian .237/.347/.467, but it's drastically improved since ending April with a .155/.305/.274 line. As long as he can get on base regularly, he should continue scoring runs near the top of the St. Louis lineup.
Jun 21 2018Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Thursday against the Brewers.Carpenter took the first offering of the game from left-hander Brent Suter out of the park to straightaway center field for his 13th home run of the season. He entered the game slugging just .383 with three home runs in 47 at-bats against southpaws this season, though he has seen the ball well of late with five home runs in his past seven games. After a concerning April, Carpenter has hit 10 home runs between May and June.
Jun 19 2018Carpenter went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, three RBI, a home run and a double in Tuesday's 7-6 win over Philadelphia.Carpenter hit a home run for the third consecutive game with his ninth-inning shot Tuesday giving the Cardinals the late lead over the Philllies. The 32-year-old now has a .239/.335/.465 slash line with 12 home runs and 30 RBI in 243 at-bats this season.
Jun 19 2018Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a double and a solo home run in an extra-inning loss to the Phillies on Monday.Carpenter opened the scoring for the Cardinals with a 363-foot shot to left in the third, his second in as many games and third over his last four contests overall. The veteran got off to an 0-for-11 start in June over the first three games of the month, but he's hitting .308 with three doubles, four home runs, six RBI, four walks and 10 runs over the 56 plate appearances encompassing the subsequent 12 games.
Jun 17 2018Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the Cardinals' 5-0 victory over the Cubs on Sunday.That's two long balls in three games for Carpenter, who seems to finally be putting together a sustained stretch of production coming off a brutal start to the season. The homer was his 10th of the year, and his .232/.332/.433 slash line - while still lagging substantially behind his usual standards - is at least starting to look more like the player we've come to expect over the past few seasons.
Jun 16 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk and two RBI in Friday's loss to the Cubs.Carpenter hit a solo home run -- his ninth of the year -- off Jon Lester in the sixth, and later slashed an RBI single off reliever Anthony Bass in the seventh. This was Carpenter's third multi-hit performance in his last five games, bringing his line to .237/.340/.433 on the year. The 32-year-old had an incredibly slow start to the year (hitting below .200 up until May 20) but he's steadily gotten more hits to fall over the past month.
Jun 13 2018Carpenter is on the bench Wednesday against the Padres.The veteran infielder is hitting .324 over his last eight games, bringing his season line up to a respectable .232/.335/.418. Jedd Gyorko will handle the hot corner in his place Wednesday.
Jun 10 2018Carpenter, who went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs in a win over the Reds on Saturday, has five of his homers on the season over his last 18 games entering Sunday.Carpenter began to awaken offensively a few games prior to that stretch, but he'd still come into a May 21 game against the Royals having left the yard on just three occasions over his first 162 plate appearances (40 games), despite a 44.7 percent hard contact rate. He's managed to boost that already impressive number even further to 54.5 percent over the aforementioned 18-game span, and just as important, he's increased his flyball rate 12.5 points to 56.6 percent. The combination of the two has helped lead to the power surge, and it's also boosted Carpenter's season slugging percentage from a middling .351 to .433.
Jun 9 2018Carpenter went 1-for-2 with an RBI single, three walks and a run in an extra-innings win over the Reds on Friday.Carpenter now has a four-game hitting streak, and he's hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games overall. The veteran has slashed .341/.414/.591 over the 99 plate appearances spanning his last 22 games, and he's boosted his season on-base percentage 42 points to .339 over that stretch.
Jun 6 2018Carpenter went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a strikeout in Tuesday's loss to the Marlins.Carpenter smacked a trio of singles his first three times up, snapping a mini 0-for-11 slump over the three previous games. The 32-year-old sports a lowly .225/.333/.414 slash line, but most of that has been weighed down by a bad start. Since the end of April, Carpenter is hitting .280 with five homers and 11 doubles in 107 at-bats.
May 30 2018Carpenter went 1-for-3 with two RBI from a bases-loaded walk and a solo home run in a win over the Brewers on Tuesday, while also drawing a second free pass.One game before beginning a mid-May surge, Carpenter's season line stood at a dreadful .140/.286/.272. All three figures have seen massive boosts since then, with the 168-point increase in his slugging percentage (.272 to .440) the most dramatic. Carpenter sports a blistering .404 average, .528 wOBA and 65.8 percent hard contact rate in the 58 plate appearances encompassing his last 13 games, a stretch during which he's racked up 13 extra-base hits (nine doubles, four home runs) and eight RBI.
May 28 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Monday's loss to the Brewers.Carpenter cut the Brewers' lead to 4-3 with his solo shot -- his sixth of the season -- off Brent Suter in the fifth inning, though it ultimately wasn't enough to help the Cardinals take the series opener. He also laid down a bunt single in the third inning. Carpenter has now collected multiple hits in three straight games and is hitting .291/.364/.582 across 22 games this month, raising his average from .170 to .221 over that stretch.
May 27 2018Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in a win over the Pirates on Saturday.Carpenter got the Cardinals jump-started by leading off the game with 417-foot shot to left, his third round tripper of May. The veteran has made significant strides at the plate during the latter half of the month, raising his season average 46 points to .206 since May 16 by slashing .390/.432/.707 over 44 plate appearances in a 10-game sample.
May 22 2018Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and two runs in a win over the Royals on Monday.Carpenter's second consecutive three-hit tally finally vaulted his average back up over the Mendoza Line for the first time since April 7, when it actually sat at an even .200. The veteran infielder's six-game heater consists of a .542 average, seven doubles, Monday's homer, four RBI, two walks and and five runs, and Carpenter is also making hard contact at a whopping 68.2-percent clip during that stretch.
May 20 2018Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double and a run in the Cardinals' 5-1 victory over the Phillies on Sunday.It's been a season of struggles at the plate for Carpenter so far but he's showing signs of life lately, as this three-hit effort gave him 10 knocks in his last 24 at-bats with three multi-hit performances in his last five games over that time. The fact that his average still sits at .194 coming off the mini-hot streak is a testament to how much he's been struggling in the early going, so hopefully this is a sign he can finally start to get his paltry .672 OPS back up toward his career mark of .829.
May 19 2018Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Phillies on Friday.Carpenter was back in the two-hole Friday after having dropped down to seventh in the order the prior two nights. The struggling veteran's pair of singles extended a modest hitting streak to three games, a stretch during which he's gone 6-for-13 with three doubles, two RBI and a run. Carpenter has much work left to do to get a current .173/.301/.315 season line back up to acceptable levels, but his current mini-surge is an cautiously optimistic step in that direction.
May 17 2018Carpenter went 3-for-5 with an RBI double and another two-bagger in a win over the Twins on Wednesday.A move down the batting order seemed to work wonders for Carpenter, as he snapped out of a nightmarish 4-for-48 slump with his first multi-hit effort since May 1. Manager Mike Matheny afforded Carpenter multiple games off recently in an attempt to allow him to hit the reset button on a dreadful start to 2018, and for at least one afternoon, that appeared to pay some dividends. Despite the productive performance Wednesday, Carpenter's .160/.297/.303 line has abundant room for improvement, as does the .208 BABIP that has also played a large part in his struggles.
May 16 2018Carpenter will bat seventh in the Cardinals' lineup for Wednesday's game against Minnesota.This marks the first time that Carpenter has been slotted into the batting order any lower that fourth since 2015. Over the past 16 games, he's gone just 4-for-48 with one home run, three RBI and 19 strikeouts.
May 13 2018Carpenter is not in the lineup Sunday against the Padres.Carpenter will be withheld from the starting lineup for the third consecutive game as the Cardinals close out their four-game series against the Padres. The veteran infielder made a pinch-hit appearance Saturday, so his extended absence does not seem to be injury-related. Manager Mike Matheny may just be looking to give the struggling hitter (.145 average) some time off to reset. Jedd Gyorko draws the start at third base Sunday.
May 12 2018Carpenter is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres.Carpenter also hit the bench against left-hander Eric Lauer on the mound for San Diego, but righty Tyson Ross is pitching Saturday. The Cardinals' veteran infielder has yet to find any consistency this season and is 3-for-25 with 11 strikeouts in the month of May. Hopefully a couple days out of the lineup can help the 32-year-old get back on track.
May 11 2018Carpenter is out of the lineup against the Padres on Friday.Carpenter will take a seat following three straight hitless outings and with southpaw Eric Lauer on the bump for San Diego. In his stead, Jedd Gyorko will start at third and bat fifth. Expect Carpenter back in the lineup Saturday.
May 6 2018Carpenter is out of the lineup Sunday against the Cubs, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.With Carpenter receiving off for the series finale following six consecutive starts, Jedd Gyorko will man third base and bat fifth Sunday. After bypassing shoulder surgery over the offseason and addressing the injury through rest and rehab, Carpenter has struggled to regain his usual form through the first month and change of the regular season, limping to a .165/.320/.320 slash line through his first 122 plate appearances.
May 6 2018Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a two-run double and a walk in an extra-inning win over the Cubs on Saturday.Carpenter laced a fourth-inning two-bagger to deep left that plated Kolten Wong and Harrison Bader in the fourth, knotting the game at 4-4 at the time. The 32-year-old continues to struggle at the plate overall, however, as his season line remains a dreadful .165/.320/.320 through 122 plate appearances. An elevated strikeout rate (26.2 percent) that currently serves as a career high and a .203 BABIP are both undeniably playing a significant role in his season-long struggles.
May 2 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's win over the White Sox.Carpenter's home run -- his third of the year -- came in the ninth inning off White Sox closer Joakim Soria with the Cardinals trailing by one. It was Carpenter's first home run since April 10th, and it was only his fourth multi-hit game this season. The 32-year-old is sporting an ugly .170 average, but is keeping his on-base percentage above .300 thanks to 19 walks on the year. Carpenter is a career .274 hitter, so the hits figure to come with a little patience.
Apr 27 2018Carpenter is not in the lineup Friday against the Pirates.Carpenter hasn't been the type of player to sit out against lefties, but he is just 2-for-17 with no extra-base hits against southpaws this year. Jedd Gyorko will enter the lineup at third base to replace him Friday.
Apr 25 2018Carpenter is out of the lineup against the Mets on Wednesday, Brian Stull of St. Louis Baseball Weekly reports.Carpenter will receive a standard day off following five straight starts as Jedd Gyorko gets the nod at third base for Wednesday's affair. Over 21 games in 2018, Carpenter is hitting .167/.326/.306 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
Apr 21 2018Carpenter will hit atop the order and play third base against the Reds on Saturday.This marks the first time all season that Carpenter will serve as the leadoff hitter for manager Mike Matheny. He has typically been utilized out of the three-hole, but was second in the order for Friday's series opener. Over 18 appearances in 2018, Carpenter is hitting just .177/.329/.323 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
Apr 17 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two strikeouts, a walk, and three RBI in Tuesday's win over the Cubs.Carpenter opened up the scoring with an RBI double in the third, and helped snap a 1-for-15 stretch in the process. The 32-year-old is still hovering below the Mendoza Line even after the multi-hit showing and struck out multiple times for the fourth time in five games, but the three-RBI performance may help spur a turnaround out of his early season funk.
Apr 16 2018Carpenter went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 3-2 win over the Reds on Sunday.Carpenter's early-season contact issues continued Sunday, as he posted his sixth multi-strikeout game over the last eight. He's whiffed at least once in 11 of the last 12 contests overall, as well, leading to a 28.8 percent strikeout rate over his first 66 plate appearances. Given the relatively small sample, the fact that Carpenter has never posted a strikeout rate higher than 22.7 percent in his career and his unsustainably low .194 BABIP, the 32-year-old infielder's fortunes at the plate are bound to turn around soon, although to what extent remains to be seen.
Apr 14 2018Carpenter is not in the lineup against Cincinnati on Saturday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Carpenter will take a seat for the first time this season while Yairo Munoz draws a start at third base. Through 14 games thus far, Carpenter is hitting .174/.355/.348 with two home runs and seven RBI. Expect to see him back in the starting nine for Sunday's series finale.
Apr 10 2018Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two runs, two walks and a two-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning in a 5-3 victory for St. Louis over Milwaukee on Tuesday.Carpenter was hitting just .156 coming into the game but he got his second homer of the season with this game-ending blast off J.J. Hoover. It's been a weird season so far for Carpenter, as he has a solid .375 on base percentage in spite of his still-paltry .194 batting average. The fact that his walk rate has remained so high suggests he's seeing the ball well and he's a .276 hitter for his career, so Tuesday's multi-hit game could be a sign Carpenter is getting set to start producing like the guy who has an .800-plus OPS in five of his last six seasons shortly.
Apr 5 2018Carpenter went 0-for-2 with an RBI groundout and two walks in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Brewers.His grounder to first in the third inning brought home Dexter Fowler and moved Tommy Pham over to third, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead at the time and setting up a two-run home by Marcell Ozuna in the very next at-bat. Carpenter has gone hitless over the last two games, but his patience at the plate often allows him to still make an offensive impact even when the hits aren't falling. Factoring in Wednesday's game, Carpenter has now drawn five free passes over the last three contests.
Mar 31 2018Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to the Mets.The homer was an eighth-inning solo shot off Anthony Swarzak. Carpenter battled back issues for much of spring training but appears healthy to start the season. He's recorded a hit in each of the Cardinals' opening two games.
Mar 23 2018Carpenter, who laced a two-run single, walked and scored in two plate appearances during Thursday's 8-2 Grapefruit League win over the Braves, adjusted his swing this offseason in an attempt to revert back to a prior level of efficiency, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports. "I'm not going to let myself hit .240 again," Carpenter said. "I look at my season as a huge disappointment. I wasn't happy about the kind of year I had at all."A commitment to putting the ball in the air more often beginning in 2015 led to a progressive increase in Carpenter's launch angle, which was up to 21 degrees by a 2017 campaign where his average dipped to its lowest figure (.241) since his initial seven-game majors cup of coffee in 2011. That number put him in the same class as sluggers like Mike Napoli and Joey Gallo, hitters whose style in the batter's box is the antithesis of what Carpenter's has been for the majority of his career. In all, Carpenter sacrificed a total of 77 points in his batting average from the career-high .318 he hit in 2013 with his revamped approach, and his offseason tweaks were done with the intention of returning to the potent all-fields hitter he used to be. The usual caveat about spring numbers aside, Carpenter's .500 average over 19 plate appearances serves as a cautiously optimistic endorsement of his old-is-new-again swing as the regular season approaches.
Mar 18 2018Carpenter will bat third and man third base in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.A back issue delayed Carpenter's spring debut until last week, but the veteran hasn't missed a beat in his three Grapefruit League games to date, going 3-for-5 with a home run and two walks in those contests. The Cardinals had used him as a designated hitter or first baseman in all of those contests, so Carpenter's move to the hot corner Sunday offers another indication that the club isn't too concerned about his health. What's less clear is how frequently Carpenter will deployed at third base once the season begins, as the 32-year-old battled an injury to his throwing shoulder for a good portion of 2017. In attempt to limit the strain on the shoulder, Carpenter has been working to alter his throwing motion during camp, so how he performs defensively in the Cardinals' remaining spring games could determine his usage at the position in 2018.
Mar 15 2018Carpenter manned first base in Wednesday's 3-1 Grapefruit League win over the Astros and went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run.Carpenter made his in-the-field debut following a turn at designated hitter in his first Grapefruit League game Tuesday, but what he did at the plate was just as much of a story. The veteran infielder connected off starter Justin Verlander for a two-out, two-run shot in the third with Tommy Pham aboard, following a first-inning single. It's been an auspicious start to spring for Carpenter, who'd also walked and scored in both of his plate appearances Tuesday.
Mar 14 2018Carpenter (back) filled the designated hitter role in his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday, drawing two walks and scoring twice in a pair of plate appearances during an 11-4 win over the Marlins.The veteran infielder finally saw game action after dealing with a back issue since a mid-February weight lifting session brought about a sprain. Carpenter's exit after two at-bats was planned, according to Joe Trezza of MLB.com, as opposed to a sign of any setback. He's now slated to play first base on Wednesday versus the Astros, with a possible turn at second later in the week. As far as his debut outing, Carpenter encouragingly took multiple swings and ran the bases without issue, leaving him highly satisfied with his long-awaited return to the field. "I felt great," Carpenter said of his brief return. "I saw the ball well. Now, it's just about building at-bats through the spring and I'll be ready to go."
Mar 14 2018Carpenter (back) will make his Grapefruit League debut in the field Wednesday against the Astros, Joe Trezza of MLB.com. He'll play first base and bat third.Carpenter checked out fine while serving as the Cardinals' designated hitter in Tuesday's exhibition against the Marlins, drawing walks in both of his plate appearances on the day. The veteran's return to the infield suggests the Cardinals aren't too concerned about his health heading into Opening Day, but Carpenter will still need to pick up several at-bats over the next week to ensure he's ready to handle a full-time role when the season begins. Expect Carpenter to also take reps at the hot corner in his subsequent appearances as the Cardinals look to open up room in the lineup at first base for Jose Martinez.
Mar 13 2018Carpenter (back) is batting third and acting as the designated hitter for Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.As expected, the veteran will return to major-league action in a limited capacity. Carpenter still needs to prove his body can handle the rigors of fielding, but this is a big step forward nonetheless. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to log enough innings to be ready immediately for the start of the regular season however.
Mar 12 2018Carpenter (back) made three plate appearances in an intrasquad game Sunday and said he felt "perfect" afterward, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter grounded out, fouled out and drew a walk during his three turns at the plate and relayed that he experienced no discomfort with his back while rounding second base at one point during the game. The 32-year-old's next activity will come Tuesday against the Marlins, when he's slated to serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter in what will mark his Grapefruit League debut. If all goes well in that contest, Carpenter could return to the field later in the week, which would also serve as a good litmus test for the health of the right shoulder that often plagued him last season. Per Hummel, Cardinals infield coach Jose Oquendo has encouraged Carpenter to adjust his throwing motion when playing third base to make the veteran less susceptible to injury. If Carpenter is receptive to the change and his throwing checks out fine in the spring, he would likely see most of his action at the hot corner when the season starts, thereby opening up more at-bats at first base for Jose Martinez and Luke Voit.
Mar 10 2018Carpenter (back) said Saturday he intends to make his spring debut for the Cardinals on Tuesday against the Marlins, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter has been dealing with back soreness since early February and indicated the plan is to serve as the team's designated hitter Tuesday. The 32-year-old remains optimistic he can be available for Opening Day, which is a realistic goal should he be able to avoid any setbacks.
Mar 9 2018Carpenter (back) is fielding grounders and throwing with increased intensity Friday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Carpenter has been battling back soreness all spring and has yet to appear in a game. He's been swinging for a few days and is now doing fielding work as well, so he's likely not too far from making his spring debut. His status for Opening Day remains up in the air, but if reports remain positive there's a good chance he'll be ready to go.
Mar 8 2018Carpenter (back), who continued his hitting program Thursday, is expected to only play first base upon his return, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter has yet to see his first Grapefruit League action while tending to his lower back problems, although he did continue his hitting program in the batting cages for the third straight day Thursday. The original projection for the veteran's return to action was mid-March, but Carpenter feels that timeline is overly cautious and that he'll be able to put in two full weeks of spring training games. Upon his return, he's highly likely to be limited to just playing first base as opposed to multiple positions, which had been discussed at one point this winter. The reason for the change in plan is physical in nature, but it concerns Carpenter's 2017 shoulder issues more than his current injury. "The shoulder is always something we're concerned about," manager Mike Matheny said. "We're trying to get his back right and he's also trying to get his shoulder into a really good place. But that (shoulder) might be something that would push it more toward first base than third."
Mar 6 2018Carpenter (back) started a swinging progression Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.As anticipated, the Cardinal first baseman advanced in his recovery program from a sore back. This swinging program currently entails simply swinging in a cage, but it also signals that he's relatively close to returning to game action. No word has come forth as to when he could get back into the lineup, but more information should be available as he swings more. Goold did comment that Carpenter needs to get back into games soon so that he'll be ready for Opening Day, so it seems like there is legitimate concern that he could miss the first couple days of the regular season. If that happens, look for Jose Martinez to fill in at first base.
Mar 5 2018Carpenter (back) worked out on the main field Monday and could swing a bat as early as Tuesday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.He has been sidelined thus far in spring training with a sore back, but at least it appears he is making progress. As long as he can get into games in a week or two, he still should be able to get enough reps to be ready for Opening Day. That said, the 32-year-old should be discounted slightly in drafts, as back issues can linger and pop back up, and the Cardinals have no shortage of options to spell him if he needs maintenance days during the season.
Feb 25 2018Manager Mike Matheny reported Sunday that Carpenter's back is "doing better," Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.Carpenter has been sidelined with a sore back during the opening days of spring training, but Matheny's comments suggest that the veteran infielder could be back in action sooner than later. Carpenter's back injury doesn't seem like anything overly concerning at this time, and barring any setbacks it appears he should be ready for Opening Day.
Feb 22 2018Carpenter has been battling a sore back in the early days of spring training and the Cardinals do not have a timetable for him to begin playing in Grapefruit League games at this time, theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The early indications from Carpenter suggest that the injury is a minor one. While he's on the shelf during the early part of camp, Jose Martinez and Luke Voit are expected to collect extra reps at first base for the Cards. It is believed that the Cardinals are planning on using Carpenter at third base more frequently in 2018, provided that he's healthy, and that Martinez is hitting the way he did throughout his time in the big leagues last season.
Feb 15 2018Manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter (shoulder) will likely bat third in 2018, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.With Dexter Fowler expected to return to the top of the order as the team's leadoff hitter, Carpenter will likely open the season as the Cardinals' No. 3 hitter for the second straight year. While he batted third for the first 45 games in 2017, he slashed just .221/.353/.429 in 201 plate appearances during that stretch and was eventually moved to back the leadoff spot due to his -- and Fowler's -- struggles. Carpenter will now get another shot to prove he belongs in the heart of the team's lineup, though either way, he should hold value wherever he hits. The 32-year-old was shut down near the end of last season due to shoulder inflammation, but the issue didn't require surgery and he's expected to be fully healthy entering spring training.
Oct 1 2017Carpenter (shoulder) had an MRI that revealed only inflammation, and he will be able to avoid offseason surgery as a result, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.With an offseason to rest, Carpenter should be able to report to spring training in February at full strength. In addition to the shoulder ailment, back, finger, quad, and hip injuries impacted Carpenter at various points in 2017, but he managed to appear in 145 games and reach the 20-homer mark for the third straight season.
Sep 28 2017Carpenter (shoulder) has been shut down for the remainder of the season, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.The Cardinals were officially eliminated from postseason contention Thursday, and with that, Carpenter will shut it down and look ahead to 2018. He has been playing through chronic shoulder pain for a while and the team will check in on the condition of his shoulder with another MRI on Friday. Carpenter said he's confident that he will be able to avoid surgery.
Sep 26 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, two walks and two runs scored in Tuesday's 8-7 win over the Cubs.Carpenter came in 1-for-32 against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta, but reversed that trend with a home run to lead off the home side of the first inning. His walk rate rose to a robust 17.6 percent with this effort and the leadoff man crossed the 90-run threshold for the fourth time in five seasons by jumping from 89 to 91.
Sep 25 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Pirates.Carpenter extended his hitting streak to five games and went 4-for-9 with a double, Sunday's homer and three runs in the weekend series against the Pirates. The foul ball that glanced off the infielder's foot and caused his early exit last Thursday versus the Reds didn't seem to affect him during the three-game set, and he appears primed to finish the season strong despite a career-low .246 average.
Sep 22 2017Carpenter (foot) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Reds.Carpenter exited Thursday's contest after fouling a ball off his foot, although it didn't seem overly serious at the time. As expected, the 31-year-old is in the lineup for the series opener against Cincinnati, while batting leadoff and manning the hot corner.
Sep 21 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored during Wednesday's win over Cincinnati.The veteran is turning in an interesting September with an impressive .931 OPS despite going just 7-for-36 at the dish. Considering he's playing through a nagging shoulder ailment, his .500 slugging percentage for the month is especially impressive. Still, he's probably best viewed as a boom-or-bust option over the final weeks of the campaign, and there is always a chance Carpenter is shut down once the Cardinals are mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
Sep 21 2017Carpenter left Thursday's game partially due to manager Mike Matheny's desire to get more speed in the game, and partially because he fouled a ball off his foot, Derrick Goold of the St. Loius Post-Dispatch reports. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.Harrison Bader pinch hit for Carpenter in a close game, so his ailing foot likely had a part to play in the veteran exiting before the game's conclusion. It remains to be seen if this is an issue that will linger, but he should be considered day-to-day for now.
Sep 19 2017Carpenter is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.Carpenter will head to the bench for a breather after starting nine consecutive games at the hot corner, slashing .240/.500/.560 with two homers and a 13:12 BB:K over that stretch. Jedd Gyorko will make his first start at third base since Aug. 26 in his place.
Sep 16 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday against the Cubs.Carpenter crushed his 20th bomb of the season to put the Cardinals on the board in the eighth inning of a road loss. He doesn't get enough regular at-bats to be in weekly lineups, but his power makes him an interesting option in leagues that allow for daily lineup changes.
Sep 12 2017Carpenter went 1-for-1 with an RBI double, four walks and two runs scored in Tuesday's 13-4 win over the Reds.Carpenter roped a double in his lone at-bat and saw 27 total pitches. The veteran infielder's OBP jumped from .376 to .382 with this effort and he now has just 12 more strikeouts (110) than walks (98) this season. His combination of power and batting eye is what makes Carpenter such a valuable asset out of the leadoff spot for manager Mike Matheny, and both of those skills were on display here.
Sep 9 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday during the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Pirates.Carpenter is getting over a shoulder injury that hobbled him for most of the past week, and this is a good sign that he's back to normal and could deliver more power down the stretch. His .239 batting average has disappointed his fantasy owners, but Carpenter continues to reach base at an elite pace (.377), which keeps him in favorable territory for OBP leagues.
Sep 8 2017Carpenter (shoulder) is in the lineup Friday against the Pirates.Carpenter was removed from Monday's game due to tendinitis and has been withheld from the lineup each day since. However, he's ready to return to the field Friday, as he's starting at third base and hitting leadoff.
Sep 7 2017Carpenter (shoulder) is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres.Carpenter will remain sidelined for a third straight contest as he continues to nurse a shoulder injury. The good news is an MRI revealed no significant damage, so he shouldn't be sidelined too much longer. In the meantime, Jose Martinez will draw another start at first base in his absence.
Sep 5 2017Carpenter underwent an MRI on his injured right shoulder Tuesday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter has been plagued by shoulder pain this season and has now missed three of the team's past four games with the ailment. He's undergoing testing on his shoulder Tuesday to determine the best course of action moving forward, and the results of his MRI should be revealed shortly. He remains a day-to-day case.
Sep 5 2017Manager Mike Matheny reported Tuesday that the MRI on Carpenter's injured shoulder did not reveal any significant damage, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Initial tests on Carpenter's shoulder provided good news, as the Cardinals first baseman seems to simply be dealing with inflammation in his ailing shoulder. He'll see another doctor Wednesday and may soon receive a cortisone shot, but it appears that Carpenter will continue to be a true day-to-day case moving forward.
Sep 5 2017Carpenter (shoulder) is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres.Jose Martinez is filling in at first base with Harrison Bader leading off. Carpenter was removed from Monday's game with shoulder tendinitis and later revealed that he's been dealing with nagging pain in the shoulder for some time. The issue is affecting both his throwing and hitting. To this point, the Cardinals have not given any indication as to when Carpenter may return to action.
Sep 4 2017Carpenter, who left Monday's game with shoulder tendinitis, said he has been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury for some time and that "every throw hurts and most swings," Fox Sports Midwest reports.At this point, we should probably expect Carpenter to play through the pain and put off any surgery or other rehab efforts until after the season. Carpenter has an excellent .241/.376/.436 batting line this season, but he is at just .200/.348/.347 over the past 28 days according to Baseball-Reference. Even if Carpenter is able to take the field down the stretch, he may be too hurt to contribute.
Sep 4 2017Carpenter was removed from Monday's game against the Padres with right shoulder tendinitis, Derrick Goold of the St. Loius Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter appeared to injure himself while striking out in the top of the fifth inning, and he was subsequently replaced by Alex Mejia before the bottom half of the inning. This issue likely explains his absence over the weekend, as Carpenter was withheld from the starting nine on Saturday and Sunday with no explanation. More should be known about the severity of the ailment following the conclusion of Monday's contest.
Sep 3 2017Carpenter is out of the lineup Sunday against the Giants.While no word of injury has yet surfaced, it's certainly rare to see Carpenter held out in back-to-back games. While he gets another breather, Jose Martinez will man first base, with Kolten Wong at second and Alex Mejia at third.
Sep 2 2017Carpenter is out of the lineup against the Giants on Saturday.Carpenter heads to the bench after seven straight starts while Jose Martinez draws the assignment in his stead. Since the beginning of August, Carpenter is hitting .194/.364/.376 with just two multi-hit games. He will likely return to the starting nine for Sunday's series finale.
Aug 30 2017Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, a walk and two runs scored against the Brewers on Tuesday.Though the long ball is nice, Carpenter hasn't put together a multi-hit game since Aug. 8 -- a span of three weeks. It's nice to see his power showing up over the past couple games, as he also homered Sunday, but he's hit just .194/.324/.355 over his last 16 outings, contributing to this season's career-worst .244 average. That said, Carpenter's also sitting on a career-worst .277 BABIP, and his plate discipline and pop are still pluses. At only 31 years old, he should still be good for several more productive seasons.
Aug 27 2017Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Rays.Carpenter's 17th long ball of the season tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, but was ultimately overshadowed by Logan Morrison's 10th-inning game-winner. The leadoff man has now driven in 13 runs in his past 18 games after accruing only 48 RBI in his first 103 this season.
Aug 25 2017Carpenter (illness) is in the lineup Friday against the Rays.After missing two games due to an illness, Carpenter is ready to return to get back on the field. He'll hit leadoff and start at first base for Friday's interleague contest against Tampa Bay.
Aug 24 2017Carpenter (illness) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres.Carpenter will miss his second consecutive game while recovering from an illness. He should be considered day-to-day for Friday's series opener against Tampa Bay. In his place, Jedd Gyorko draws another start at first.
Aug 23 2017Carpenter is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Padres.Since the beginning of August, Carpenter has posted a bleak .197 batting average. However, he's still been finding ways to get on base, as he's put together a .384 on-base percentage in that time. He'll get the night off while Jedd Gyorko covers first base.
Aug 23 2017Manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter is out of Wednesday's lineup against the Padres due to an illness, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter was sent home before the game, so he won't even be available off the bench. The Cardinals will likely wait and see how he's feeling Thursday before deciding on his status for the series finale. Jedd Gyorko is starting at first base in his stead.
Aug 18 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk Friday against the Pirates.Carpenter hit his 16th homer to extend the Cardinals' lead to four runs in the second innings of a divisional win. He's been struggling for much of August, though he owns a somewhat-passable .448 slugging percentage, though his batting average is a negative for fantasy managers.
Aug 7 2017Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run home run during Monday's win over Kansas City.It's been a down year by Carpenter's standards, but he's now collected three extra-base hits and five RBI through his past two games and is capable of piling up counting stats in a hurry. This could prove to be a buy-low spot for the veteran.
Aug 7 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run triple and a run in Sunday's 13-4 win over the Reds.Carpenter added insult to injury with his fourth-inning triple, a laser to right with two on that extended the Cardinals' lead to 13-3. The hit snapped the slump the 31-year-old infielder had been stuck in to open August, one that had seen him go hitless over the first four games of the month in which he'd registered at least one at-bat. Carpenter has more work to do to break out of his doldrums, however, as he's only 1-for-14 in his last five contests overall.
Aug 3 2017Carpenter (hip) is back in the lineup and batting third for Thursday's series finale in Milwaukee.Carpenter was scratched from Wednesday's contest with right hip discomfort, but it appears as though he won't need any extra time out of the lineup. The 31-year-old will man first base during Thursday's game, and looks to extend his on-base streak to eight games in a row. Since the All-Star break, Carpenter is slashing .323/.391/.452 with six RBI and eight runs.
Aug 2 2017Carpenter was scratched from Wednesday's lineup against the Brewers due to right hip discomfort, Derrick Goold of the St. Loius Post-Dispatch reports.It's unclear when the issue cropped up on Carpenter, but it apparently bothered him enough during pregame warmups to keep him out of the contest. Luke Voit will start at first base in his place, while Kolten Wong will move up to the leadoff spot. Consider Carpenter day-to-day for the time being, while more should be known about the severity of his injury following Wednesday's game.
Jul 27 2017Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a walk, a double, a run scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 10-5 win over the Rockies.The All-Star break seems to have done wonders for the 31-year-old, as Carpenter is slashing .333/.388/.444 in his last 12 games. His homerless streak now stands at 26 games, but if he continues his recent surge it's only a matter of time until he puts another ball over the fence.
Jul 25 2017Carpenter (quadriceps) is starting at first base and leading off Tuesday against the Rockies.He missed one game with leg cramps, but is back in the mix against righty Jon Gray. Carpenter is hitting .299/.427/.504 with four home runs and 30 runs in his last 40 games.
Jul 24 2017Carpenter (quadriceps) is not in the lineup Monday against the Rockies.Carpenter left Sunday's contest with the Cubs prematurely due to a bout of cramps in his quad, and it seems like the Cardinals want to give him at least one more day to rest in order to get him back to full health. He'll remain day-to-day for now as Luke Voit takes over at first base Monday night.
Jul 24 2017Carpenter departed Sunday's loss to the Cubs in the second inning because of cramping in his right quadriceps, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter isn't sure whether it was related to dehydration, an unorthodox slide in the first inning or something altogether different, but he doesn't expect to to miss Monday's series opener against the visiting Rockies. As such, owners should feel fairly confident rolling with him per usual unless news breaks suggesting otherwise.
Jul 22 2017Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI single and a run in Friday's 11-4 win over the Cubs.Factoring in Friday's production, Carpenter is now slashing .309/.439/.537 out of the leadoff spot this season, a line partly comprised of 16 doubles, five home runs and 19 RBI. He's been red-hot in July as well, already raising his season average 21 points to .252 while posting six multi-hit efforts. The only missing element in his current stretch has been the long ball, as the veteran infielder's last homer came on June 24.
Jul 18 2017Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run against the Mets on Tuesday.Uncharacteristically a .231 hitter through his first 80 games of 2017, Carpenter has heated up in a big way lately, racking up 14 hits in his last 31 at-bats (.452), including five doubles -- pulling his average up to a more respectable .253. At the same time, he hasn't hit a home run since June 24; in that interim, he's posted an 18.8 percent walk rate and an 8.8 percent contact rate, suggesting that Carpenter may be making a conscious decision to put the ball in play more and pull up his average rather than trying to jack it out of the yard.
Jul 17 2017Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI double in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Pirates.The slugging leadoff man erased an early 1-0 deficit with his fifth-inning two-bagger that plated the just-recalled Magneuris Sierra. Carpenter's red-hot start to July includes a six-game hitting streak, four multi-hit efforts and doubles in three of his last five contests. The 31-year-old has already brought his season average up 12 points to .243 since the beginning of the month, although that figure still easily ranks as his worst in any major-league season outside of his initial seven-game cup of coffee in 2011.
Jul 5 2017Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a walk in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Marlins.The slugging leadoff man has started July off in fine fashion at the plate by hitting in three straight. Carpenter is in the midst of a modest long-ball drought, however, as his last home run came June 24. The 31-year-old's current .235 average is also notably lower than any he's ever posted in the last five seasons, but a .255 BABIP and career-best 46 percent hard contact rate hint at an eventual breakout.
Jul 4 2017Carpenter will bat leadoff and start at second base Tuesday against the Marlins.Just as Mike Matheny did Monday, he will use Carpenter at the keystone to make room for Luke Voit at first base. It's only start No. 2 for Carpenter at second base on the year, but if Matheny wants to continue getting Voit regular playing time, Carpenter could see just enough reps there to retain eligibility heading into 2018. The eventual return of Kolten Wong (triceps) could complicate things, but Carpenter has plenty of time left to hit the five-game minimum required by many leagues, and could realistically hit 10 if Voit stays hot.
Jul 3 2017Carpenter will start at second base and lead off Monday against the Marlins.In an effort to make room in the lineup for first baseman Luke Voit, manager Mike Matheny will give Carpenter a start at the keystone for the first time all season. It's also only the second start that Carpenter has received at a position other than first base; he previously manned third base in a April 27 game. Since Carpenter retained second-base eligibility in most leagues heading into this season, his start at the position Monday won't mean much unless he ends up seeing enough playing time there in future contests to guarantee eligibility for 2018.
Jul 1 2017Carpenter could play some games at second base in the near future in order to open up playing time for rookie Luke Voit, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. "Just making sure we're covering all our bases if there's options," manager Mike Matheny said. "If we're faced with a tough lefty, that's something we're going to at least make sure we have covered.Carpenter took grounders at second during early infield work Friday, and he could see a handful of starts at the position until Kolten Wong (elbow) returns later in July. The 31-year-old has acquitted himself well at first base this season, but he was an All-Star second baseman in 2013 and also played 40 games at the keystone last season.
Jul 1 2017Carpenter is not in the lineup Saturday against the Nationals, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter will head to the bench with southpaw Gio Gonzalez headed to the mound for the Nationals. It's possible he'll continue to see some days off against lefties down the road in an attempt to get rookie Luke Voit more at-bats.
Jun 26 2017Carpenter is not in the lineup Monday against the Reds.Carpenter has just two hits over his last five games, so he'll head to the bench for a breather. Luke Voit will make his first MLB start at first base in his place.
Jun 25 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run during Saturday's loss to Pittsburgh.Carpenter snapped a three-game hit drought with the bomb and now has five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs and a .953 OPS through 22 June games. The veteran is struggling to improve on his underwhelming .236 batting average, but his 14 homers, 40 RBI and 29 runs are solid fantasy marks.
Jun 21 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a run-scoring double, three walks and a run in Tuesday's 8-1 extra-inning win over the Phillies.The surging leadoff man was a thorn in the side of the Phillies throughout the game, drawing multiple walks for the third straight contest and upping his OPS for June to an impressive 1.068. Carpenter's .313 average for the month is over 100 points better than the pedestrian .204 figure he mustered last month, and the 31-year-old is also now just one RBI short of equaling his total for all of May.
Jun 17 2017Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Friday's 11-2 win over the Orioles.Carpenter has his average up to .250 following Friday's effort, which also extended his hitting streak to 10 games. The veteran infielder is sporting an impressive 26.1 percent line-drive rate and 47.8 percent hard-contact rate over his first 15 games of June, which has already led to 11 extra-base hits (seven doubles, four homers), three more than he compiled in all of May.
Jun 16 2017Carpenter 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Brewers.Carpenter extended his hitting streak to nine games with his sixth and seventh doubles of June. He's now roped at least one two-bagger in six straight contests as well and is slashing .315/.383/.611 in his first 60 plate appearances of the month.
Jun 15 2017Carpenter went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Brewers.The veteran infielder has his OPS up to .944 in June following Wednesday's production, as he now has four multi-hit outings over his last seven games, as well as an eight-game hitting streak during which he's compiled nine RBI. The impressive start to the month has brought his season average up 18 points to .239 and he's now leading the team in home runs (12), RBI (36) and OBP (.360).
Jun 13 2017Carpenter went a combined 4-for-8 with a double, a homer, a walk, three RBI and three runs in Tuesday's doubleheader against Milwaukee.He's still hitting only .233, but Carpenter managed to extend his hitting streak from five to seven games in one day -- a stretch in which he's gone 11-for-28 (.393) with three homers and eight RBI. Before this run, he was lingering at a .209 batting average, so even this modest improvement is quite welcome. Carpenter's seemingly made a conscious decision to sacrifice contact for power over the past couple seasons, and this year hasn't been any different, except that the results have been worse. Much of that is attributable to a career-low .253 BABIP, though; his career mark is .324, which implies a lot of room for improvement in his batting average.
Jun 8 2017Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run during Thursday's loss to Cincinnati.Carpenter snapped a 14-game homer drought Wednesday, so it was encouraging to see him hit another bomb Thursday. He sports a disappointing .216/.345/.426 slash line for the year but has been able to buoy his fantasy value with serviceable counting stats: 11 home runs, 30 RBI and 27 runs. Considering he posted a .285/.377/.464 line over the previous five years, Carpenter is ripe for a hot stretch.
Jun 7 2017Carpenter is batting leadoff Wednesday against the Reds, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.This marks the first time that Carpenter will sit atop the order in 2017 after spending lots of time there in years prior. It's unclear if this is a short-term fix with Dexter Fowler getting a night off or if manager Mike Matheny is pulling the plug on Fowler as the team's leadoff hitter, but nonetheless, Carpenter should be in line for more run-scoring opportunities if he can get on base in front of Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty.
Jun 3 2017Carpenter is out of Saturday's lineup against the Cubs, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.He is hitting just .165/.273/.306 with three home runs and 23 strikeouts over his last 23 games. Jose Martinez draws the start at first base and will hit cleanup against southpaw Jon Lester.
May 31 2017Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a run in Tuesday's 9-4 loss to the Dodgers.Despite reaching safely for the seventh time in the last nine games, Carpenter has endured a difficult month at the plate in terms of batting average. He's hit just .213, although his six homers have helped him to .360 and .461 figures in OBP and slugging, respectively. However, a resurgence appears inevitable once Carpenter's luck turns around, as his impressive 51.5 percent hard contact over 111 May plate appearances has been neutered in part by a .217 BABIP.
May 28 2017Carpenter is back at first base and hitting third in the order Sunday against the Rockies.After a tough month of May, Carpenter was given the day off Saturday, but will be back in his regular role for the series finale. He's 1-for-3 at the plate against opposing starter German Marquez in his career.
May 27 2017Carpenter is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rockies, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter will head to the bench for the first time in May after slashing .221/.371/.506 with six homers through the first 21 games of the month. Jedd Gyorko will slide over to start at first base in his stead, opening up a spot for Jhonny Peralta to start at the hot corner.
May 21 2017Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Giants.Carpenter's ninth dinger of the season was his first since May 14, and his slash line is now up to .235/.381/.492 on the season with 27 RBI in 168 plate appearances. He's cooled down a bit after a scorching start to the month, but he remains a useful contributor in most categories in all fantasy formats.
May 15 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 5-0 win over the Cubs.Carpenter opened May with a flurry, smacking four homers in the first five games. He hadn't gone deep since that point until Sunday, when his 435-foot shot to right center in the third with Kolten Wong extended the Cardinals' lead to 4-0 at the time. The blast pushed Carpenter's RBI total in May to 10, and his team-leading RBI and slugging totals to 24 and .410, respectively.
May 9 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run triple, two walks and a run in Monday's 9-4 win over the Marlins.The veteran infielder continued knocking the cover off the ball Monday, with his fourth-inning three-bagger, his first of the season, extending his hitting streak to four games. Carpenter had homered in each of his prior three games and factoring in Monday's production, he's hitting .333 and is making hard contact at an excellent 62.5 percent clip in the first seven games of May.
May 7 2017Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-4 extra-inning win over the Braves.Carpenter opened the scoring on the afternoon with a 406-foot shot to right in the first, giving him a homer in three straight games and his fourth over the last six. The veteran infielder has already boosted his average 21 points in six May games and knocked in six runs over that span as well, as he spearheads a Cardinals offense that appears to finally be awakening from a season-long slumber.
May 6 2017Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run, three runs and three walks during Friday's win over Atlanta.Currently sporting an 8-for-27 run at the dish with eight runs, three home runs, 12 RBI and a 1.241 OPS, Carpenter has rounded into form. Hitting third instead of leading off has provided plenty of RBI opportunities early on, and the veteran infielder has a good shot at topping his previous career-high mark of 84 from the 2015 campaign.
May 3 2017Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Brewers.Carpenter is now 5-for-11 with three doubles, a home run, four RBI, three runs and a pair of walks over a modest but encouraging three-game hitting streak. The 31-year-old is sporting a 16.5 percent walk rate that's his highest since his initial 19-plate appearance big-league cup of coffee in 2011, but is striking out at a career-high 23.7 percent clip while making contact a career-low 71 percent of the time.
Apr 30 2017Carpenter went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run and three RBI during Sunday's loss to Cincinnati.With nine RBI through his past four games, Carpenter is doing his best to put his quiet start to the season behind him. Additionally, moving to the heart of the Cardinals order should enable the veteran a shot at posting a career-high mark in the RBI column without sacrificing too many runs.
Apr 28 2017Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and five RBI during Thursday's Game 1 win over Toronto.The five RBI doubled his total to 10, and Carpenter finished the game with an underwhelming .250/.373/.417 slash line. However, with a .505 slugging percentage and 49 home runs over the past two seasons, he's probably just underachieving to start the year. Expecting a breakout stretch sooner than later from the veteran will probably pay off, especially considering Carpenter's track record.
Apr 27 2017Carpenter returns from his one-game suspension Thursday, batting third and playing first base in Game 1 of the doubleheader.The infielder made contact with an umpire this past weekend and served his ban Tuesday before a Wednesday rainout. Hopefully Carpenter's owners will get a pair of contests out of him Thursday as they face Toronto's Mat Latos and Casey Lawrence, which could be a profitable day for St. Louis bats.
Apr 25 2017Carpenter received a one-game suspension for tapping an umpire over the weekend and will serve the suspension Tuesday night, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Fortunately he'll only miss one game, but it's a shame that he received a suspension while he was finally picking things up a bit at the plate. Matt Adams will slot in at first base to fill in for him Tuesday, but look for Carpenter to return to the lineup Wednesday.
Apr 22 2017Carpenter is one of the players manager Mike Matheny is considering for occasional starts at third base in the wake of Jhonny Peralta (upper respiratory illness) heading to the disabled list. "We're not ruling that out as an option," said Matheny.The former third baseman has been taking grounders at third in the last few days in anticipation, although he continues to draw starts at first base. Occasional deployment of Carpenter at the hot corner would presumably shift Jedd Gyorko to first or give fellow left-handed bat Matt Adams a chance for playing time.
Apr 22 2017Carpenter is one of the players manager Mike Matheny is considering for occasional starts at third base in the wake of Jhonny Peralta (upper respiratory illness) heading to the disabled list, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "We're not ruling that out as an option," said Matheny.The former third baseman has been taking grounders at third in the last few days in anticipation, although he continues to draw starts at first base. Occasional deployment of Carpenter at the hot corner would presumably shift Jedd Gyorko to first or give fellow left-handed bat Matt Adams a chance for playing time.
Apr 21 2017Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Brewers.The 31-year-old has struggled a fair amount this season, with Thursday's blast being just the second extra-base hit he's logged through 14 games. Carpenter also struck out three times, marking the third game in the past week where he's fanned multiple times. However, he does seem to be turning a page, as he currently possesses a five-game hit streak and a .316 batting average over the past week.
Apr 19 2017Carpenter (finger) will return to the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.The laceration on Carpenter's finger, which he suffered while fielding a groundball during Sunday's game, has evidently healed to the point where it's no longer a major hindrance. Carpenter is off to a slow start this season with eight hits (only one for extra bases) in his first 36 at-bats. He will look to get it going against right-hander Gerrit Cole.
Apr 18 2017Carpenter (finger) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates.The club has held true to its word that Carpenter wouldn't be rushed back into the lineup, as he's sitting out for the second day in a row. Jose Martinez will get the nod to start at first base instead of Carpenter on Tuesday. Consider Carpenter day-to-day heading into Wednesday's outing against Pittsburgh.
Apr 17 2017Carpenter's finger injury is lingering and he is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Pirates, Brian Stull of WGNU 920AM reports.Manager Mike Matheny said he would have no qualms playing Jose Ramirez at first base again, so the Cardinals won't be rushing Carpenter back to action. Consider Carpenter day-to-day for now, but there's no expectation that this injury will force a stint on the disabled list.
Apr 17 2017Carpenter was removed from Monday's lineup against the Pirates due to swelling in his lacerated finger, Jenifer Langosch of the MLB.com reports.Carpenter suffered the laceration after hit was hit by a ground ball in Sunday's game against the Yankees. His time out of the lineup will depend on how quickly he can get the swelling to go down.
Apr 15 2017Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and walk in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Yankees.Carpenter opened the scoring on the night with a 421-foot shot to right in the first off Masahiro Tanaka, giving the Cardinals the early 2-0 lead. While his average sits at a pedestrian .219, the 31-year-old infielder has reached safely in five straight and knocked in three runs over the last two contests.
Apr 12 2017Carpenter is back in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Nationals, batting third and playing first base, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter missed Tuesday's game after experiencing back tightness, but it appears he's good to go after a day of rest. The lefty is off to a tough start this year with a .208 average through eight games, and it may not get much easier with Max Scherzer toeing the slab for Washington on Wednesday.
Apr 11 2017Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Nationals.Carpenter has gotten off to a sluggish start at the plate (5-for-24 with one RBI), so he'll head to the bench for a day of rest with lefty Gio Gonzalez hurling for Washington. Jose Martinez will man first base in his stead.
Apr 11 2017Carpenter, who is out of the lineup Tuesday, experienced back tightness Monday night, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Apparently, the back issue is not the sole cause of Carpenter's absence Tuesday. Manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter's 2-for-16 career record against lefty Gio Gonzalez, Tuesday's starter for the Nationals, factored into the decision to hold Carpenter out. The 31-year-old also dealt with back trouble throughout the spring, but he should be considered merely day-to-day for now.
Mar 23 2017Carpenter went 2-for-3 with four RBI from a sacrifice fly, RBI single and two-run triple in Wednesday's 6-1 Grapefruit League win over the Nationals.Carpenter looks fully recovered from the back woes that plagued him last week, and is enjoying his spot in the middle of the order after hitting leadoff in the past. The Cardinals starting first baseman is now hitting .333 (5-for-15) with a triple, home run, seven RBI, two walks and a run over nine spring games.
Mar 19 2017Carpenter (back) is 1-for-4 in his two games since returning to the lineup after missing Thursday's game.The Cardinals' starting first baseman appears to be back at full health after playing on both Friday and Saturday. He should be considered a full go moving forward and is now slashing .273/.333/.545 over 11 spring at-bats.
Mar 16 2017Carpenter (back) isn't in the Cardinals' Thursday lineup but is expected to return Friday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.We'll confirm whether he's on Friday's card, but it's a positive sign that St. Louis plans on putting him in, considering Carpenter has maintained his readiness for at least a week. As long as Carpenter shows somewhat normal abilities at the dish, fantasy players should feel comfortable drafting the multi-positional gem at his market price, which comes in at an Average Draft Position of 71.70 in NFBC leagues (15-yeam mixed).
Mar 10 2017Carpenter (back) says he will hit in a batting cage Monday to re-evaluate his injury, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter has already returned to spring game action for defensive purposes, but has not yet been cleared to swing a bat. The veteran infielder says he's trying not to rush the process and remains adamant he'll be ready to go by Opening Day. "I don't feel the need to rush it," he said. "The only time I feel it is swinging, and even then I think I'm pretty close." Carpenter is expected to begin the 2017 season as the Cardinals' primary first baseman.
Mar 10 2017Carpenter (back) played five innings at first base in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, MLB.com reports.He has not yet been cleared to swing a bat but Carpenter wanted to get some time at first base, his new everyday position. The box score will show Carpenter recorded a single in the game, but it was a bunt single to beat the shift -- the Astros shifted their defensive alignment when Carpenter came up, seemingly unaware of his restrictions. Carpenter plans to begin taking swings in the batting cage Monday.
Mar 9 2017Carpenter (back) is back in the starting lineup for Thursday's spring game, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter is expected to miss a week of spring action due to a back injury, but he'll occupy the nine-spot in Thursday's exhibition contest. His position in the batting order should allow him to get in some defensive reps, though Carpenter has yet to be cleared to take full swings. If his spot in the order does come up, Carpenter will likely be removed for a pinch hitter, or take all of the pitches headed his way.
Mar 9 2017Carpenter (back) expects to begin taking more swings in the batting cage by Monday with the hope of returning to action the following weekend, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.The infielder is already slated to miss the World Baseball Classic, so now he can focus solely on getting back to 100 percent prior to Opening Day. It seems like the injury is beginning to subside, so as long as the progression on Monday goes without a hitch, Carpenter should be back in action relatively soon.
Mar 8 2017Carpenter (lower back), who swung off a tee Monday, will miss at least another week with his lower back tightness, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "We're still a ways out," Matheny said. "Yesterday was his first day off a tee, so there's a slow progress there."The Cardinals' projected starting first baseman has already been taking part in defensive drills but still must be able to swing without restrictions before being reinserted into game action. Carpenter's earliest likely return projects to be Mar. 16 versus the Twins, with the team wanting to ensure that his current ailment doesn't morph into an oblique strain, an injury that sidelined him for a month in the 2016 season.
Mar 6 2017Carpenter (lower back) is set to take swings off a tee in Jupiter on Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter will not be taking swings at full strength, but the session will serve the all-important purpose of testing his trunk rotation and unearthing any potential oblique issues as well. The Cardinals' first baseman has already announced he is forgoing his previously planned participation in the World Baseball Classic due to the injury.
Mar 4 2017Manager Mike Matheny said that Carpenter (back) has informed Team USA he will skip the World Baseball Classic, Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Evidently, the injury has progressed to a point where Carpenter has become concerned for his long-term health. Matheny mentioned that the infielder has been holding back from hitting drills over the past week while dealing with the ailment. In addition, Carpenter is concerned the back soreness could impact his oblique, something that kept him out for a month last season. Fantasy owners can rest assured that the three-time All-Star is committed to getting back to full strength by Opening Day.
Mar 3 2017Carpenter (back) may skip the World Baseball Classic, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The versatile infielder's workouts are being "slowed down" because of his lingering back soreness, which likely means increased caution by the organization to preserve him before the 2017 season. There's still time for him to improve before suiting up on Opening Day, though the WBC may get in the way of that. Stay tuned.
Mar 2 2017Carpenter was removed from the starting lineup of Thursday's spring game because of lower back stiffness, and he's day-to-day.He'll be reevaluated tomorrow. This looks like a precaution for the well-versed infielder, who's lined up to play first base on Opening Day. Keep an eye on this issue, but early indications don't provide a reason to panic in fantasy leagues.
Feb 26 2017Carpenter had a first-inning sacrifice fly and blasted a two-run homer in Saturday's 8-7 Grapefruit League victory over the Marlins.Hitting out of the three-hole with the newly-acquired Dexter Fowler now batting leadoff, Carpenter blasted a two-run homer in the third that scored his new teammate. He'd also driven Fowler home in the first with a sacrifice fly, giving the new Cardinals starting first baseman an auspicious start to the exhibition slate.
Feb 9 2017Carpenter will play for Team USA in this year's WBC, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter, who's slated to move to first base this coming season, is coming off a 2016 campaign during which he slashed .271/.380/.505 with 36 doubles, six triples, 21 homers and 68 RBI. He'll be a part of a loaded Team USA roster that includes Nolan Arenado, Brandon Crawford, Paul Goldschmidt, Daniel Murphy and Giancarlo Stanton.
Nov 8 2016Carpenter was told Tuesday that he will enter the 2017 season as the Cardinals' first baseman, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The Cardinals thought that the jumbled infield contributed to the team's uneven play throughout the year, so they decided to commit Carpenter to one position right out of the gate. This move definitely hurts Matt Adams' fantasy value, but it means that Jhonny Peralta and Jedd Gyorko will likely get to compete for St. Louis' starting third base job. All in all for Carpenter, however, it doesn't affect his value a ton for the 2017 campaign given his enormous position eligibility he'll carry over from 2016, but it could drop his 2018 stock considerably for those in dynasty leagues, as he'll now have to outperform big boppers like Edwin Encarnacion to garner fantasy value as a first baseman.
Oct 3 2016Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a home run, four RBI and two walks during Sunday's 10-4 win over the Pirates.Carpenter put St. Louis ahead with his sixth-inning three-run homer, propelling his team to a 10-4 victory on the season's final day. The home run was his 21st of the season, and although Carpenter slumped after returning from an oblique injury in early August, he retained his pop with 19 extra-base hits over the season's final two months. Carpenter's overall numbers were excellent, as he finished at .271/.380/.505 -- nearly identical to his 2015 line of .272/.365/.505. When healthy, Carpenter is one of the better hitters in baseball with his combination of on-base skills and power.
Sep 27 2016Carpenter (finger) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Reds.Carpenter sat out of Monday's contest because of pain in his right ring finger, but it seems that the infielder can swing a bat pain-free once again and can get back into action. Carpenter will slot back in at first base and leadoff against Cincinnati starter Robert Stephenson.
Sep 26 2016Carpenter is not in the lineup Monday against the Reds.Carpenter started the past four games, but after going 2-for-17 with six strikeouts in that span, manager Mike Matheny decided to give him the night off. Matt Adams will take over at first base for the evening.
Sep 26 2016Carpenter is dealing with pain in his right ring finger, Mark Saxon of ESPN reports.The knob of the bat apparently bothers Carpenter's finger when he swings, so the Cardinals will give him some time to rest and heal his finger as they jockey for a Wild Card spot. Consider the 30-year-old day-to-day for the time being.
Sep 20 2016Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Rockies.Carpenter has only sat out of one game this month, so he'll get the night off with left-hander Jorge De La Rosa taking the mound for Colorado. Matt Adams will fill in at first base in his stead.
Sep 13 2016Carpenter was a late addition to Tuesday's lineup.There were reports that Carpenter was doing much better and could even come off the bench later in the game, but it seems as if manager Mike Matheny felt so confident in his health that he slotted the infielder back into the starting lineup. He'll take over for Greg Garcia as the leadoff hitter and second baseman.
Sep 13 2016Carpenter (back) is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Cubs.Although Carpenter will be forced to sit after leaving Monday's game with back tightness, he told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com that he's feeling "good" and will be available off the bench Tuesday. The Cardinals are facing a lefty on Wednesday (Jon Lester) and manager Mike Matheny could always opt to play it safe and hold Carpenter out once again, but it doesn't sound like Carpenter is in danger of missing extended time.
Sep 12 2016Carpenter will hit third in the Cardinals' batting order Monday against the Cubs.Manager Mike Matheny used Carpenter in the three hole for a week in mid-October only to move him back into the leadoff spot, but the Cardinals will give the experiment another shot. Kolten Wong will replace Carpenter atop the order Monday night.
Sep 12 2016Carpenter exited Monday's game against the Cubs in the seventh inning with tightness in his back, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter ultimately had three unsuccessful at-bats Monday, with two strikeouts, before Matt Adams came in as a replacement at first base. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but Adams and Brandon Moss seem to be the top candidates to fill in if Carpenter requires added time off the diamond.
Sep 9 2016Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 4-3 win over the Brewers.The Cardinals were down by three runs early on, but Carpenter got them on the board with a two-run dinger in the third, shortly before Stephen Piscotty put them ahead with one of his own. Carpenter owns a career-best .917 OPS this season and has scored a run in five consecutive games as his club scraps for a postseason berth.
Sep 6 2016Carpenter hit a game-tying pinch-hit solo homer in his only at-bat Tuesday in Pittsburgh.Carpenter's homer off Tony Watson tied a wild game at six before St. Louis piled on more runs to pull away in the top of the ninth. This effort should get the third baseman going after he was struggling heading into what was supposed to be a routine day off. Expect him back in the lineup moving forward.
Sep 6 2016Carpenter is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Pirates.Carpenter has been scuffling at the plate as of late (.452 OPS in his last seven games), so he'll get a day off to recharge and get back to his regular ways. Kolten Wong will man the keystone in his stead, while Matt Adams rounds out that side of the infield.
Aug 28 2016Carpenter went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a solo homer and three runs Sunday against the Athletics.Carpenter has struggled to produce runs for the Cardinals lately, as he's only posted three RBI since August 9. Despite the recent struggles, his 17th homer of the year raised his slugging percentage to .540, which is easily the best number of his six-year career.
Aug 28 2016Carpenter is in the lineup Sunday against the Athletics.Carpenter didn't start Saturday, but is back at first base and hitting leadoff for Sunday's series finale against Oakland. He's hit just .196/.262/.268 over the last 14 days, but will look to get back on track as Andrew Triggs is slated to start for the A's.
Aug 27 2016Carpenter is out of the lineup Saturday against the A's.It's a little odd to see Carpenter left out especially against a right-hander, but there has been no indication from the team that an injury is in play. Carpenter has been going strong since his return from the DL earlier this month (16 straight starts dating back to Aug. 8) and it seems the Cardinals simply don't want to push their luck. Jedd Gyorko will man second base Saturday as Greg Garcia leads off.
Aug 24 2016Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a homer and two strikeouts Wednesday in an 8-1 win over the Mets.The long ball was his first in two weeks, dating back to Aug. 10 against the Reds. Carpenter cut his strikeout rate earlier this year, but has backslid this month, whiffing 16 times in 16 games; accordingly, he's hitting only .219 in August. Nonetheless, Carpenter has been enormously productive when healthy as the Cards' leadoff hitter, as he'd easily be on pace to clear 100 runs (something he's done in two of the past three seasons) if not for the time he spent on the DL due to an oblique injury.
Aug 10 2016Carpenter went 2-for-4 Wednesday, hitting a triple and a home run and scoring two of the Cardinals' three runs en route to their 3-2 win over the Reds.Carpenter has been phenomenal as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter this season, getting on base at .414 clip. But Carpenter has also been hitting for power, his .553 slugging percentage being a career-best. The home run was Carpenter's 15th of the season, and the triple was his sixth of the year despite not stealing a single base.
Aug 8 2016Carpenter (undisclosed) is back in the starting lineup Monday against the Reds.The Cardinals did not offer up an explanation for Carpenter's absence Sunday, but that he's back in the mix for the series opener with the Reds after a one-day layoff suggests that the ailment wasn't a serious one. Carpenter will play second base and lead off for the Cards on Monday.
Aug 7 2016Carpenter (undisclosed) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Braves, Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter was lifted from Saturday's contest for a reason that wasn't made public, but the team is likely being overly cautious considering he just returned from an oblique injury Friday. With Carpenter on the shelf Sunday, Kolten Wong will get the starting nod at the keystone.
Aug 6 2016Carpenter, who recently returned from an oblique injury, left Saturday's game early, Fox Sports Midwest reports.Seeing Carpenter leave his second game since being activated off the disabled list should be a concern, but manager Mike Matheny said he checked out fine with the medical team.
Aug 5 2016Carpenter (oblique) was activated from the DL on Friday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.As expected, Carpenter will return Friday to face Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz following a successful four-game rehab stint with Double-A Springfield (4-for-12 with a double and a homer). Carpenter was enjoying a great season before the oblique injury put him on the shelf in early July, slashing .298/.420/.568, and he should continue to provide excellent four-category production while batting atop the Cardinals' order.
Aug 4 2016Carpenter (oblique) will be activated prior to Friday's game against the Braves, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports.He made his fourth and final rehab start Wednesday for Double-A Springfield and will use Thursday as a rest/travel day before joining the Cardinals for the weekend series at home against the Braves. Carpenter will return to the leadoff spot immediately, but he will move around in the field, primarily seeing time at third base and second base. Owners should be prepared to deploy him immediately upon is activation Friday.
Jul 29 2016Carpenter (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Sunday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The three-time All-Star was recently cleared to resume baseball activities after being shut down for several weeks, and has successfully ramped up close to a rehab assignment. It's uncertain how long Carpenter will need in the minors to prepare for a return to the major league roster, but it seems he has a decent chance to make it back for the start of the team's homestand next week. He will immediately resume his role as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter upon activation.
Jul 24 2016Manager Mike Matheny suggested Sunday that Carpenter (oblique) could head out on a rehab assignment within the next few days, Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Still without a concrete timetable, it appears to be taking shape. Carpenter has missed approximately three weeks because of the issue at this point, so he may require more than a couple games before returning to the big league squad. An early August return seems plausible if he indeed begins his rehab assignment in the near future but a return date should firm up as it draws closer.
Jul 22 2016Carpenter (oblique) has been cleared for limited baseball activities, Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter was taking grounders and throwing to first on Friday before the Cardinals game against the Dodgers. It's unclear when Carpenter will be cleared to start a rehab assignment, but this is a step in the right direction. Jedd Gyorko and Greg Garcia have been filling in at third base during Carpenter's absence.
Jul 7 2016Carpenter (oblique) was placed on the 15-day DL on Thursday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter sustained a high oblique strain while taking a swing during Wednesday night's game. While the Cardinals are yet to offer a timetable, Carpenter is expected to miss several weeks, likely beyond the requisite 15 days. Kolten Wong, who is in Thursday's lineup, figures to be the primary beneficiary so long as Carpenter remains out.
Jul 6 2016Carpenter (oblique) left Wednesday's game in the third inning, gripping his side after taking a swing, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter was replaced by Kolten Wong after being examined by a trainer. The 30-year-old has been injury-free up to this point in the season, but he suffered an injury to his right oblique and could be shut down until after the All-Star break even if it's just a minor tweak. The Cardinals will likely issue a report on Carpenter by the end of the day Wednesday or Thursday morning after he undergoes testing Wednesday night.
Jul 6 2016Carpenter suffered an oblique strain Wednesday and manager Mike Matheny said there is a "high level of concern," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports.He suffered the injury while taking a swing in Wednesday's game, and this threatens to significantly interrupt what had been another stellar season from the best position player on the Cardinals. A timetable has not been provided, but it's safe to expect Carpenter to miss the rest of the first half and at least several weeks of the second half. Kolten Wong, who replaced Carpenter on Wednesday, figures to be a significant benefactor while Carpenter is out.
Jul 2 2016Carpenter is out of the lineup Saturday against the Brewers.He is just getting a rest day Saturday after starting the last 16 games for the Red Birds. Carpenter may not look the part physically, but he has emerged as a bonafide superstar, and is slashing .299/.422/.579 with 14 homers on the season. Greg Garcia will start at the hot corner and Kolten Wong will get the start at second base Saturday.
Jun 28 2016Carpenter homered as part of a 2-for-3 game with two walks, two runs scored and two RBI in Tuesday's win over the Royals.Carpenter now has three homers in his past three games to raise his total to 14. After setting a career high with 28 home runs last season, Carpenter is on pace to hit 30 in 2016. Carpenter's batting line is up to .300/.420/.592. The resulting 1.012 OPS would be a career best by a whopping 139 points.
Jun 21 2016Carpenter hit his 11th home run of the season Tuesday, a solo shot that helped the Cardinals defeat the first-place Cubs 4-3.Despite his lack of speed, Carpenter has been brilliant this season as the Cardinals leadoff hitter, with a .417 OBP that is tied for second in the NL. His 11 home runs continue his power-hitting pace set last year, when his 28 home runs were more than his previous three seasons combined. Carpenter has been especially productive of late, with an OBP well over .500 in June.
Jun 14 2016Carpenter is back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Astros.Carpenter sat out the past two games after jamming his finger Thursday, but he's rejoining the lineup Tuesday at the top the order with the Cardinals facing righty Doug Fister. The versatile infielder has been red hot at the dish in June, slashing .400/.466/.720 with 12 extra base hits in his last 50 at-bats.
Jun 12 2016Carpenter is out of the lineup for the second straight game Sunday against the Pirates.Carpenter didn't get the starting nod Saturday either, but his absence Sunday is most likely due to the fact that the Pirates are sending another left-handed pitcher to the mound in Jon Niese. The infielder did suffer a jammed finger earlier in the week, so it makes sense to give Carpenter an extra day of rest, especially now that the infield has gotten deeper due to the return of Jhonny Peralta. In the meantime, Jedd Gyorko will get the starting nod at second base for the second day in a row.
Jun 11 2016Carpenter is not in the lineup for Saturday's matchup with the Pirates.Carpenter was removed from Thursday's game late due to a jammed finger but did return to the lineup Friday and homered and there is no indication the finger is behind his absence Saturday. It's likely the case of facing southpaw Francisco Liriano, as Jedd Gyorko will replace him at second base and bat eighth for the Cardinals. The Pirates send another lefty to the mound Sunday, so it's possible he will receive back-to-back days off.
Jun 11 2016Carpenter (finger) went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead three-run homer, two walks and two runs scored in Friday's 9-3 victory over the Pirates.The Cardinals leadoff man hit the go-ahead blast in the eighth inning off reliever Neftali Feliz, plating Eric Fryer and Greg Garcia to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Carpenter's bat has been on fire since late May, as he's reached safely in nine of his last 10 games. He's also slashing .367/.486/.633 over 30 June at-bats, and already has five two-baggers and seven RBI to his credit during the month as well.
Jun 10 2016Carpenter (finger) is in the lineup Friday after leaving Thursday's game with a jammed finger.Carpenter sustained the injury during the eighth inning of Thursday's game and was forced to leave the contest shortly after. For Friday's outing, he is slotted into the leadoff spot and will play second base. Carpenter is currently on a six-game hit streak while batting .346/.452/.538 with four RBI in the month of June and hasn't missed a start since May 27.
Jun 9 2016Carpenter exited Thursday's game in the eighth inning with a jammed finger, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.According to Goold, Carpenter jammed a finger during his last at-bat of the game Thursday and manager Mike Matheny was uncertain about his ability to make a throw when the Cardinals took the field for the bottom of the eighth. Greg Garcia came on as Carpenter's replacement at second base. If Carpenter is held out of the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Pirates, Garcia or Jedd Gyorko could take over at second base.
Jun 4 2016Carpenter could start to see playing time at second base once Jhonny Peralta (thumb) returns to the lineup next week, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.It would be a boon for Carpenter's owners if he could regain second base eligibility this season, and it sounds like that's a possibility. Carpenter told Rosenthal that he prefers playing on the right side of the infield, as he can see what pitches the catcher is calling and he likes being involved in the action in the middle of the infield. Kolten Wong's struggles and Aledmys Diaz's solid play at shortstop (at least with the bat) make it likely that Peralta could play some third base, with Carpenter getting starts at the keystone.
May 30 2016Carpenter went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three runs and a strikeout Monday against the Brewers.The 30-year-old third baseman recorded his first multi-hit effort since May 19, and has gone 11-for-38 (.289) over the past 10 games. The Cardinals need him to produce a bit more at the top of the lineup, but perhaps this four-hit game (a season-high mark for him) might be what he needs to get back on track.
May 28 2016Carpenter is in the lineup for Saturday's matchup with the Nationals.Carpenter was activated from the paternity list Saturday, and will immediately be put in the lineup. He will start at first base and bat leadoff. The Cardinals will face off against Gio Gonzalez; whom Carpenter is just 1-for-13 against in his career.
May 28 2016Carpenter was activated from the paternity list Saturday.As expected, Carpenter will rejoin the Cardinals after leaving the team on Wednesday following the birth of his child. In a corresponding move, the Cardinals DFA'd Ruben Tejada to clear a spot on the roster. The Cardinals are yet to release a roster for Saturday's matchup with the Nationals, but Carpenter figures to be available.
May 26 2016Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak announced Thursday that Carpenter (paternity) is expected to return to the lineup Saturday, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter left the team Wednesday to be with his wife for the birth of their child and he was subsequently placed on the paternity list Thursday. Per MLB rules, Carpenter can miss up to three games while on the paternity list, so he will miss Thursday and Friday's tilts, but he should return for Saturday's game against the Nationals.
May 26 2016Carpenter was placed on the paternity list Thursday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.As expected, Carpenter will take a brief leave of absence from the team following the birth of his child. Per MLB rules, he'll have to miss at least one game, but no more than three games. As such, Carpenter could be back as early as Friday or as late as Sunday, when the Cards wrap up a four-game set in Washington. In a corresponding move, St. Louis recalled infielder Greg Garcia from Triple-A.
May 25 2016Carpenter may need to go on paternity leave, as his wife is expected to give birth Wednesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports.He is out of Wednesday's lineup, and if he is going to miss another game or two he could be placed on paternity leave. Ruben Tejada is starting at third base Wednesday and Jedd Gyorko is also an option at the hot corner if Carpenter misses further time.
May 25 2016Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's matchup with the Cubs.Carpenter will sit out for the first time in 2016 in favor of Ruben Tejada starting at third and batting eighth. Carpenter has failed to get a hit in 16 career at-bats against Cubs' ace Jake Arrieta, so this is the perfect game for Carpenter to get some rest.
May 19 2016Carpenter went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, six RBI and two runs against the Rockies on Thursday.No, this game wasn't played in Coors Field, but you could be forgiven for suspecting that the Rockies brought the thin air with them. Carpenter's average is still lingering at a career-low .259, but that's the only mark against him -- after all, he's sustaining last year's power outburst while refining his plate discipline back to its pre-2015 level.
May 10 2016Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Tuesday's win over the Angels.The 30-year-old now has four multi-hit games over his last five, and he has doubled his season home run total with three long balls in the last three games. Carpenter continues to bat leadoff for a Cards offense that ranks near the top of the league in most major categories, and his arrow is pointing up as we approach mid-May.
May 9 2016Carpenter went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-5 loss to the Pirates.In reaching base four times on the day, Carpenter boosted his on-base percentage to a robust .380. He's not quite displaying the same sort of power that netted him 44 doubles and 28 homers in 2015, but Carpenter's strong batting eye and solid contact skills should enable him to stick at the top of the order.
May 8 2016Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a double, solo homer, two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 6-4 victory over the Pirates.After the Pirates' Starling Marte had tied the game at four with a ground-rule double in the top of the ninth, Carpenter's two-run blast in the home half of the frame off reliever A.J. Schugel sent the Cardinals home winners. The veteran's bat has come alive somewhat in May after he entered the month hitting just .230, as he's managed multi-hit efforts in three of the month's seven contests, and posted three doubles, a homer, two RBI and two walks.
May 4 2016Carpenter is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Phillies.This appears to be a regular day off for Carpenter, as the 30-year-old hasn't had a day off yet this season. Ruben Tejada will fill in for him at the hot corner Wednesday.
Apr 25 2016Carpenter homered, his third, in Monday's loss to the Diamondbacks.Carpenter finished 2-for-5, his first multi-hit game in his last 10. He's hitting just .239, but the discipline and power have been there. Carpenter's .851 OPS currently ranks fifth among National League first basemen, and he still has room to improve.
Apr 24 2016Carpenter is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.Carpenter received a day of rest on Saturday after going hitless in his previous two games. Carpenter will lead off and take his usual spot at third base.
Apr 23 2016Carpenter will receive a rest day in Saturday's tilt with the Padres.After going hit-less in his previous two games Carpenter will get an opportunity to rest Saturday. However, he will still be available to pinch hit if needed. He will be replaced at third base by Jedd Gyorko. Expect him to return to action in Sunday's series finale.
Apr 17 2016Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's game versus the Reds.The lefty tied the game in the fifth inning when he bashed his second home run of the season, and he has now accounted for 10 RBI and eight runs scored over the last eight games. Carpenter's average still sits at a modest .250, but he is hitting the ball with authority, as his .911 OPS will illustrate.
Apr 10 2016Carpenter went 1-for-4 Sunday with two runs scored and a three-run shot, his first home run of the season.After a slow start to the season, Carpenter took advantage of the weak Braves pitching staff and collected four hits, four RBI and three runs scored in three games at Turner Field. He'll try to keep his momentum going when the Cards host the Brewers for a three-game series beginning Monday.
Mar 21 2016Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run Sunday to raise his spring average to .208.Carpenter hit leadoff, his presumed lineup spot for Opening Day and looked a bit more comfortable than earlier this spring. He still has a couple weeks to fine-tune his swing but he should be in line for another very good year.
Oct 4 2015Carpenter is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader.Carpenter will sit in favor of Mark Reynolds at third base after going 1-for-2 at the plate in the early game. In the final game of the 2015 regular season, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is electing to rest the majority of his regular starters, including Carpenter.
Oct 3 2015Carpenter was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup due to a rain delay.The Cardinals opted to remove the majority of their regular starters prior to the start of the game, one that has been delayed for nearly an hour due to rain. Mark Reynolds will get the start at third base instead and hit fourth in the lineup.
Oct 2 2015Carpenter is not in the lineup Friday.Carpenter has been on a tear as of late, recording seven hits in his last 16 at-bats, five of which were of the extra-base variety, but he will get the night off with the Cardinals resting a handful of their regular starts in preparation for the postseason. Mark Reynolds will get the start at third base in his place and hit fifth in the batting order.
Sep 30 2015Carpenter got on base four times in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against Pittsburgh, recording a double, a triple, two walks and three runs.That's a 4-for-7 day -- with all four hits going for extra bases -- and five runs for Carpenter, pushing him to 101 trips around the bases on the year. He's been racking up multi-hit games lately like it's his job. Oh, wait, it is his job.
Sep 30 2015Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo homer and two runs in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Pittsburgh.He and catcher Tony Cruz represented the bright spots in the Cardinals' offense, as no one else on the team managed an extra-base knock and no one but Carpenter scored any runs. Carpenter's still working on a career-low batting average, but .269 isn't a big deal when you've hit a stunning 28 homers. Indeed, fantasy owners have been rewarded with stunningly spectacular dividends from a guy who entered the year with only 25 long balls in the past three seasons combined.
Sep 28 2015Carpenter smashed his 27th home run of the season, finishing 2-for-5 in the loss to Milwaukee.So much for Carpenter not offering much power. One of the negatives owners faced with Carpenter from a fantasy perspective is that he wasn't expected to have much power compared to a typical third-baseman. It appears he's successfully swapped some of his average for a very nice boost in power. Carpenter is currently fifth among all third baseman in home runs this year.
Sep 28 2015Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a run scored in Monday's 3-0 win over the Pirates.Carpenter's run would be the difference maker, as the third baseman scored on a routine single mishandled in the outfield by Gregory Polanco in the ninth inning. The 29-year-old has been the catalyst of St. Louis' offense this season, leading the team in home runs and runs batted in. With four multi-hit performances in his last seven games, Carpenter is primed to lead the Cardinals into the postseason.
Sep 27 2015Carpenter (hip) is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.Carpenter was forced to leave Saturday's game early, but it appears that move was more precautionary than a reaction to a tangible injury. He'll take his usual spot at third base and batting leadoff.
Sep 26 2015Carpenter left Saturday's game with left hip tightness, Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.It's not clear when Carpenter suffered the injury, but the Cardinals were pretty quick to remove him from the game. More information should be announced once the game comes to a conclusion.
Sep 25 2015Carpeneter went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base in a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee on Friday.It's been a hell of a season for the Cardinals third baseman, as he has a career-high 26 home runs and 81 RBI. Carpenter's been especially hot over his last 10 games, hitting .400 with five home runs and six doubles in that span. He is far more valuable at second base and that eligibility alone will alter his draft status greatly going into next season.
Sep 24 2015Carpenter went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four runs batted in, guiding St. Louis to a 10-2 win over the Reds.Carpenter took opposing pitcher Brandon Finnegan deep in the third and fifth innings, providing his fifth and sixth home runs of the year against left-handed pitching. The 29-year-old has showed off his power lately, hitting five home runs in his last 31 at-bats.
Sep 19 2015Carpenter went 2-for-5 Saturday with a two-run shot, his 24th home run of the season.It's his third homer, sixth extra-base hit, and third multi-hit performance in his last four games. With the Cardinals having already locked up a playoff spot, Carpenter seems to be heating up at the right time.
Sep 17 2015Carpenter went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk and a solo homer in Wednesday's win over Milwaukee.This has been quite the bizarre season for the veteran third baseman -- he's now doubled his previous career-high home run total, but remains on track to post the worst full-season batting average and OBP of his career. There's been a clear change in approach for Carpenter, whose strikeout rate has surged as he's put more emphasis on trying to hit balls out of the yard. As he approaches his 30th birthday, he's almost totally remade his profile as a hitter.
Sep 9 2015Carpenetr went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored in a 4-3 win over the Cubs on Wednesday.Carpenter has had a very streaky season with dominant months and ice-cold months, but at the end of the season, the numbers will look very strong. In 133 games played Carpenter has a .260 average, with 21 home runs, 72 RBI and 83 runs scored. Look for Carpenter to finish off the season strong, as the Cardinals are trying to lock the NL-Central title down the final month of the season.
Sep 5 2015Carpenter went 2-for-3 Saturday with a walk and a two-run shot, his 21st home run of the season.His next home run will double his previous career high. Carpenter has sold out his batting average for additional power this year, but thanks to a still-strong walk rate, his .828 OPS remains right in line with his usual output.
Aug 30 2015Carpenter went 2-for-5 Saturday with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.He could be heating back up again, going 5-for-17 (.294) over his last four games with two doubles, three RBI and four runs. Carpenter sold out his swing to hit for more power this year, as his career-high 19 home runs have been accompanied by an elevated strikeout rate, so don't expect a big batting average surge from him down the stretch despite his track record.
Aug 28 2015Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored in a 5-3 win over Arizona on Thursday.Carpenter has been ice cold as of late and it's been a hot-and-cold season for the Cardinals third baseman. Over his last 32 at-bats, Carpenter has just three hits and his average has dropped nearly 40 points in that span to .235. It's been all downhill since the first month of the season and it's tough to trust him right now with fantasy playoffs approaching.
Aug 25 2015Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the win over Arizona Monday.Carpenter has been slumping badly over the last week and had been hitless in his previous five games coming into the contest. The home run was his 19th of the season, already eight more than his previous career high of 11 as he looks like a lock to secure his first 20-home run season. It seems that power surge has taken a bite out of his average as he hasn't hit over .250 in a month since May (.269) with his highest average coming in the month of April (.372).
Aug 14 2015Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI in a 3-1 win over the Marlins on Friday.Carpenter has been on fire in August, hitting .310 with four home runs, eight RBI, and nine runs scored. He also extended his hit streak to 10 games and Carpenter's back to the elite form he had at the beginning of the season.
Aug 9 2015Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's defeat to the Brewers.His power surge continued with another home run on Sunday, giving him seven of his 17 home runs in the past 11 games. While his .266 batting average is the lowest its been in his major league career as a full-time player, he's already hit more home runs (17) than he has in any previous season.
Aug 9 2015Carpenter's only hit Saturday was a lead-off home run to help the Cardinals top the Brewers, finishing 1-for-4.Carpenter has been on a bit of a power surge his last 10 games, smashing six home runs and adding six more doubles to raise his slugging percentage from .412 to .473.
Aug 5 2015Carpenter went 1-for-4 to go with a solo homer and two walks Wednesday against the Reds.With the Cardinals down 2-3 in the eighth, Carpenter tied the game with a solo homer off J.J. Hoover, only the third that the reliever has allowed this season. Carpenter is not known for his power, but he's now hit five homers in his last six games.
Aug 5 2015Carpenter went 2-for-4 and provided the Cardinals with the entirety of their offense by launching a two-run home run in Tuesday's loss to Cincinnati.Carpenter took Reds' starter Anthony DeSclafani deep in the top of the third but the Cardinals weren't able to muster anything else the rest of the game. Carpenter appears to be well out of the slump he suffered earlier this summer, raising his average from .252 to .264 in the last week alone.
Jul 31 2015Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and a walk in a 7-0 win over the Rockies on Friday.Carpenter led the game off with a home run and he's just feasting on Rockies pitching right now. He now has five extra-base hits, including three homers in the first two games of a four game set against Colorado. After a woeful June and July where he was hovering around the Mendoza Line, it appears Carpenter is finding the form he had at the beginning of the season.
Jul 31 2015Carpenter exploded for two homers, four runs, and four RBI as part of a 4-for-5 performance in Thursday's win over the Rockies.Three of Carpenter's four hits went for extra bases, including his ground-rule double in the top of the ninth inning that ignited the Cardinals' three-run rally to win the game. Both of Carpenter's homers were particularly impressive in that they came against a lefty in Chris Rusin; Carpenter has slashed just .235/.299/.409 against southpaws this season compared to a .274/.392/.456 line versus opposite-handed hurlers.
Jul 22 2015Carpenter will bat seventh Wednesday against the White Sox.With two hits in 15 at-bats to begin the second half, Carpenter is now sitting at .177/.292/.226 for the month of July, with a .184 average since the start of June. He appears to have been relegated to a bottom-third spot in the order -- he also hit seventh Tuesday -- and will likely have to swing his way out. Kolten Wong and Randal Grichuk have hit first and second the past two days.
Jul 19 2015Carpenter is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mets.Carpenter will get the day off, allowing Randal Grichuk to move up to second in the batting order while Pete Kozma takes over at third base. Even though manager Mike Matheny likely wants to avoid the extra lefty-lefty matchup, Carpenter is 4-for-7 with two doubles in his career against opposing pitcher Jon Niese, so the move is a bit unexpected.
Jul 7 2015Carpenter is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs.Carpenter will be held out of the lineup for the first time this month, allowing Mark Reynolds to start at third base while Xavier Scruggs starts at first. Carpenter should have a chance to break out of his slump in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader.
Jul 7 2015Carpenter will likely get the start at second base in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Kolten Wong (head) was lifted from the first game Tuesday with a head contusion, and manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter will "probably" get the start at second base Tuesday night in Wong's place. A lineup should be available in the near future.
Jul 1 2015Carpenter is back in the lineup Wednesday against the White Sox.After a scheduled day off Tuesday with Chris Sale on the mound, Carpenter will be back in action Wednesday against Jose Quintana. Carpenter will bat second in the order, but he has struggled against lefty starters this season with a .163 batting average and 13 strikeouts.
Jun 30 2015Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday against the White Sox.It looks like a scheduled day off for Carpenter, who had started the last five games after missing one game last week with a tight back. Mark Reynolds will get the start at third base and bat cleanup against Chris Sale.
Jun 24 2015Carptenter (back) is back in the lineup Wednesday against the Marlins.Carpenter was held out of Tuesday's lineup with tightness in his back, but it looks to be nothing serious, as he's back at his usual third base spot. Carpenter will hit second against Marlins starter Mat Latos.
Jun 23 2015Carpenter is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game in Miami.Carpenter dealt with a minor triceps issue earlier in the month, but he has still started every game in June. In his absence Tuesday, Mark Reynolds will get the nod at third base, allowing Xavier Scruggs to start at first base.
Jun 23 2015Carpenter is dealing with a tight back, which is why he was held out of Tuesday's lineup, the Associated Press reports.He was available off the bench, but it's worth noting that this was not just a day off for Carpenter. Mark Reynolds and Pete Kozma both saw time at third base Tuesday in his absence. Consider Carpenter day-to-day moving forward.
Jun 7 2015Carpenter (triceps) will return to the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers.Carpenter suffered a right triceps contusion in Saturday's game after getting hit by a pitch, but the issue was minor enough that he'll rejoin the lineup Sunday. Assuming nothing further occurs, he should be good to go moving forward.
Jun 6 2015Carpenter was diagnosed with a right tricep contusion and will be considered day-to-day, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter left Saturday's game after getting hit by a pitch in the first inning. Kolton Wong came into the game at second base and Pete Kozma moved to third base. It seems like Carpenter could be ready to return for Sunday's series finale against the Dodgers.
Jun 6 2015Carpenter left Saturday's game against the Dodgers after getting hit by a pitch in the elbow, Jenifer Longosch of MLB.com reports.Kolten Wong came into the game to play second base, while Pete Kozma moved to Carpenter's third-base position. It seems like this was precautionary, but if he does miss some extra time, Mark Reynolds and Kozma could see increased playing time.
May 30 2015Carpenter went 1-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base in a 3-0 win against the Dodgers on Friday.Carpenter continues to raise his impressive on-base percentage, having walked seven times in the past five games. While walks aren't a sexy fantasy stat, all those times on base help Carpenter score a ton of runs from his No. 2 spot in the Cardinals' batting order. He continues to be one of the more valuable players in fantasy, especially considering that he's eligible at both second and third base in most leagues.
May 24 2015Carpenter went 1-for-3 on Sunday against the Royals with a pair of walks, two runs scored, two RBI and his eighth home run of the season.The 29-year-old has been a tremendous source of counting stats this season, stolen bases aside, and has now accumulated 31 runs scored and 27 RBI to go along with the eight homers and a .986 OPS that ranks fourth in the National League. Carpenter will likely continue to produce these types of numbers in the middle of a potent Cardinals lineup.
May 23 2015Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk Friday in a loss to Kansas City.After a down campaign last year, Carpenter has surprisingly been one of the National League's best hitters this season, posting a .322/.386/.586 slash line in 37 games and 152 at-bats. He's also scored 29 runs, driven in 24, and racked up 25 extra-base hits, good for second in all of baseball.
May 19 2015Carpenter is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.Carpenter is out of the lineup for the first time since he missed four straight games from May 7-10 because of extreme fatigue. The cause of his fatigue was never discovered, but he seems to be doing just fine. Known primarily for his excellent contact and on-base skills, Carpenter oddly has 11 strikeouts, two home runs, two doubles and zero walks in 32 at-bats since rejoining the lineup. Given the small sample size and solid power, it's not yet cause for any concern. He's likely getting Tuesday off because the Cardinals played a 14-inning marathon Monday night.
May 14 2015After striking out his first three times up, Carpenter hit his sixth homer of the year Thursday, a two-run shot that sent the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over Cleveland.Carpenter found no luck against Trevor Bauer, but former Cardinal lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski came in to face him in the eighth and promptly gave up the homer. Carpenter endured a bizarre bout of fatigue last week, but appears to be over that and is having an impressive bounce-back campaign.
May 12 2015Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs and a RBI in Tuesday's win over the Indians.He supposedly missed the last three games due to fatigue, which the team attributes to his tireless work ethic. It seemed like the time off served him well, and hopefully he will not need other similar multi-game breaks later in the season.
May 12 2015Carpenter (undisclosed) is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Indians.While he Cardinals have yet to find the cause of his extreme fatigue, Carpenter is apparently feeling better, as he'll start at the hot corner Tuesday night, even though he could be used as a DH. There's still some uncertainty here, but owners will be happy to have Carpenter back in the lineup.
May 11 2015Carpenter (undisclosed) is set to rejoin the team in Cleveland on Tuesday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.As expected, Carpenter will rejoin the Cardinals on Tuesday, but his condition is still somewhat up in the air as the team searches for the cause of his recent "extreme fatigue." The organization has not stated whether Carpenter will play Tuesday, but the fact that he'll be back with the team is certainly a step in the right direction.
May 10 2015After running a number of tests, the Cardinals haven't found a virus causing Carpenter's extreme fatigue. Moreover, when asked if Carpenter had a cardiovascular issues, manager Mike Matheny said "he hasn't heard one thing about that...," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter is supposed to rejoin the Cardinals on Tuesday in Cleveland, but there's still some mystery involving his status.
May 8 2015Carpenter is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.Carpenter got his first off day of the season Thursday against the Cubs, so it's surprising to see him out of the lineup again Friday. He's likely dealing with an injury of some sort.
May 8 2015Carpenter is not with the Cardinals in Pittsburgh because he is dealing with "extreme fatigue", MLB.com's Jennifer Langosch reports.Carpenter was out of the lineup Thursday against the Cubs, and he'll now miss an entire weekend series in Pittsburgh. He's presumably dealing with some kind of illness or medical condition, as it would otherwise be quite unusual for a player to miss four straight games due to fatigue. There's no guarantee Carpenter will be ready for Tuesday's game in Cleveland.
May 6 2015Carpenter bounced back from his ugly night at the plate Monday to go 1-for-3 with a home run, four RBI and a walk in Tuesday's win over Chicago.Carpenter took Cubs' starter Kyle Hendricks deep with two on in the fifth inning and added a sacrifice fly to plate Kolten Wong just an inning later. Carpenter is off to arguably the best start of his career posting an almost unbelievable 20 extra-base hits in his first 104 at-bats this season, good for a .644 slugging percentage. He currently ranks sixth in all of baseball with a 1.056 OPS.
May 5 2015Carpenter (head) is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs.Carpenter's early exit from Sunday's game was due to some lightheadedness, but he was right back in there Monday and although he went 0-for-5 in the opener against Chicago, it doesn't seem as though he's dealing with any lingering effects. The team never gave an exact diagnosis, but perhaps Carpenter was just dealing with some dehydration. He will man third base and bat second Tuesday, as usual.
May 3 2015Carpenter left Sunday's game against the against the Pirates in the seventh inning after feeling "lightheaded," FOX Sports Midwest reports.It's not clear if the lightheadedness was related to dehydration or some other condition, but Carpenter should be considered day-to-day in advance of Monday's series opener with the Cubs. The third baseman clubbed his fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead prior to his departure.
Apr 20 2015Carpenter hit his second home run of the season Sunday, going 2-for-3 in the win over Cincinnati.Carpenter is now hitting .400/.449/.689 following his seventh consecutive multi-hit game and is off to a terrific start with 10 runs scored and 10 RBI in just 11 games. The power isn't going to be what you'd get from a typical top third baseman but Carpenter should deliver a solid average and a ton of runs scored again this season.
Apr 18 2015Carpenter went 2-for-5 Saturday with two RBI and his seventh double of the season.That's six straight multi-hit games for Carpenter, who's raking to the tune of .381/.435/.619 with nine runs and nine RBI through his first 10 games on the season.
Apr 17 2015Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the Cardinals' win over the Reds on Friday night.Both hits were doubles, one off Johnny Cueto to lead to the Cards' first run, the other to help cap off the scoring against J.J. Hoover in the eighth. He's now hitting a robust .378/.439/.622.
Apr 13 2015Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a walk Sunday against the Reds, driving in four and scoring two runs while launching the game-winning two-run home run in his last at-bat.Carpenter is off to another good start this season, hitting .300/.417/.450 through the Cardinals' first five games. He's not the prototypical third-baseman but he'll provide plenty of value to both the Cardinals and fantasy owners in 2015.
Apr 3 2015Carpenter (quad) has a .324 batting average over 34 Grapefruit League at-bats this spring, albeit with no home runs or stolen bases.Carpenter suffered a minor quad contusion last week but quickly returned to action. While there was some talk that he might not bat leadoff this season, Carpenter has been in his usual spot for most of spring training.
Mar 25 2015Carpenter left Wednesday's spring training game against the Nationals in the third inning with a right quad contusion.A quad contusion is probably a best case scenario for Carpenter, as it probably won't cost him too much time overall. He left the game as the result of getting plunked by a pitch, and should be considered day-to-day at this point.
Nov 14 2014The Cardinals are considering moving Carpenter from the leadoff spot next season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.GM John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny are looking at ways to upgrade an offense which finished ninth in the NL in runs scored in 2014 with 619, and moving Carpenter down to second or third in the batting order is one option being considered. While Carpenter has a .384 OBP and has scored more runs (225) than anyone in baseball over the past two seasons, he can also hit for extra bases and the team already has an in-house option in Jon Jay that could be a serviceable replacement atop the lineup. Jay led the team with a .303 average last season and was the leadoff man before Carpenter. Kolten Wong could eventually be an option to bat first, but he'll need to improve his on-base skills significantly before that becomes realistic.
Sep 28 2014Carpenter was a late scratch from Sunday's starting lineup.Carpenter was in the original starting lineup, but was scratched after the Cardinals clinched the NL Central division following Pittsburgh's loss to the Reds. Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Jhonny Peralta and Jon Jay will take a seat as well.
Sep 22 2014Carpenter (illness) is back in the lineup Monday against the Cubs, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter has been held out of the starting lineup for back-to-back days, but both he and teammate Matt Adams -- who was also dealing with a "bug" -- will return to action Monday night. Carpenter will resume his regular role manning the hot corner and hitting atop the order.
Sep 21 2014Carpenter (illness) remains out of the lineup Sunday against the Reds, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter, as well as teammate Matt Adams, is dealing with a "bug" that kept him out of action Saturday. It's unknown whether Carpenter will be available off the bench Sunday night, but the team will likely hold him out to rest up, if possible.
Sep 1 2014Carpenter is out of the lineup Monday against the Pirates.This looks like nothing more than a day off for Carpenter, his first since June 17. Daniel Descalso will assume duties at the hot corner as Jon Jay leads off against right-hander Gerrit Cole. Carpenter went just 3-for-24 in his last eight games of August to end the month with a .248/.369/.371 batting line.
Aug 18 2014Carpenter was 3-for-4, falling a triple short of the cycle while scoring twice and driving in three in the win over San Diego Sunday.Carpenter has done well to prove last year was no fluke, while his numbers are slightly down they're still some of the best at his position. He's hitting .284/.379/.400 with 79 runs scored and 29 doubles.
Aug 13 2014Carpenter went 3-for-5 while scoring twice Wednesday in a 5-2 victory over the Marlins.His .318/.392/.481 line from 2013 is unrepeatable, but Carpenter continues to get on base (.377 OBP) and score runs (76) among the best in the league.
Aug 1 2014Carpenter (.288/.383/.400) picked up two hits, including a triple, and had three RBI against the Brewers on Friday.Most of the offense was provided by Carpenter on Friday as he remains very consistent on the year. Carpenter's doubles total (55) from 2013 won't be matched, which explains the drop off in SLG, but other than that there isn't much to complain about if you're starting him as your third baseman.
Jul 23 2014Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a walk Tuesday, while hitting his fifth home run (a solo shot off Jake Odorizzi in the first inning) of the year in the Cardinals' 7-2 loss to the Rays.Carpenter had been mired in a terrible slump, going 2-for-21 in his previous six games. Although he is not having the season he had last year, Carpenter still boasts a solid .278/.374/.381 slash line in 378 at-bats this season.
Jun 29 2014Carpenter went 1-for-4 Saturday but clubbed his fourth home run of the season, the Cardinals only run, in a loss to the Dodgers.Carpenter's average hasn't been there like it was last year but he's still provided excellent value at the hot corner and second base for fantasy owners.
Jun 18 2014Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's loss to the Mets.A Tuesday off day did Carpenter well, as he returned to collect two extra-base hits in his fifth multi-hit game of the month. The 28-year-old is now slashing .286/.375/.386 on the season, and his 46 runs scored ties him for fifth in the National League.
Jun 17 2014Carpenter is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.The 28-year-old old will sit for just the second time this season, as Daniel Descalso takes over at the hot corner and Peter Bourjos moves atop the batting order. Carpenter is just 1-for-his-last-14, and the Cardinals don't have another off-day until June 30.
Jun 8 2014Carpenter was 2-for-5 and hit his second home run o the season, a two-run shot, in Sunday's win over Toronto.After a slow start to the season Carpenter is now hitting .299/.390/.394 with 42 runs scored, good for ninth in all of baseball.
Jun 4 2014Carpenter went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Wednesday's victory over the Royals.Carpenter logged the first five-hit game of his career, and the first for the Cardinals since Ryan Ludwick did it back in 2009. The memorable night at the plate brought his average up to .307 from .292, and he now has nine hits in his last four games. This could very well be an indication that the Carpenter of last season could be beginning to show up for fantasy owners.
May 30 2014Carpenter went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored to extend his hitting streak to a National League best 11 games as the Cardinals fell to San Francisco Thursday.Carpenter has went without a hit in just 5 games this month. He has six extra-base hits during the streak and has also scored a run in seven consecutive games.
May 25 2014Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday night's 4-0 win over the Reds.Carpenter has been on fire as of late, going 12-for-28 with five multi-hit efforts during his current seven-game hitting streak. The 2013 NL All-Star has raised his batting average by 23 points during this stretch while continuing to lead the team with 33 runs scored and a .377 OBP.
May 7 2014Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a walk in Wednesday's victory over the Braves.Carpenter now has eight hits in his last 15 at-bats while working on a modest four-game hit streak. The Cardinals' leadoff man was bound to get hot sooner or later, and he now has a .288 average on the season, although he hasn't homered since April 4.
May 5 2014Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run scored, one double and one walk Monday against the Braves.Carpenter has at least one hit in four of his last five games and has increased his batting average from .264 to .272 over that stretch. Although he only has one home run and four doubles this season, his power numbers should improve as the season wears on as he had 11 home runs and 55 doubles last season.
Apr 23 2014Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored Wednesday night against the Mets.The Cardinals needed just one more run out of Carpenter, as he was thrown out at the plate in the top of the ninth, representing the tying run. The 28-year-old is putting together another strong season at the plate however, as he's now hit .500 in his last three games, bringing his average up to .296 on the season.
Apr 17 2014Carpenter returned to the lineup Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a walk and pair of runs scored.Carpenter got some rest Wednesday, and returned with a bang. He'll continue to be an awesome source of runs, hitting atop St. Louis's powerful lineup.
Apr 16 2014Carpenter is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers, according to FOX Sports Midwest.Carpenter went 1-for-9 over his last three games, so manager Mike Matheny decided to give him his first day off of the season Wednesday. Daniel Descalso will take Carpenter's spot at third base, and Kolten Wong will replace him atop the batting order.
Apr 13 2014Carpenter went 1-for-4 and drove in three runs while swiping his first base of the season in the Cardinals' 6-4 win over the Cubs on Sunday.Carpenter had a two-run single and a sacrifice fly to run his RBI total to nine for the season. He's looking like he'll be a top fantasy third baseman this season hitting atop the solid Cardinals lineup.
Apr 9 2014Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in the Cardinals win over Cincinnati Tuesday.Carpenter is hitting .321 with a .472 OBP on the young season and proving wrong anyone who thought last season was a fluke. Fresh off a contract extension, the 28-year old should provide plenty of value at the hot-corner in all fantasy leagues.
Apr 4 2014Carpenter was 2-for-3 with a walk and two-run home run in the Cardinals loss to Pittsburgh on Friday night.It was the first home run and the first two runs batted in this year for the Cardinals lead-off hitter, and it was not nearly enough as the Cardinals fell 12-2 to their division rivals.
Mar 8 2014Carpenter has signed a six-year extension with the Cardinals worth an estimated $52 million, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.The deal will conclude with an $18.5 million team option for a seventh year ($2 million buyout), and is yet another signing that helps the Cards lock up one of its core players as Carpenter joins Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Allen Craig and Jhonny Peralta under contract through at least 2017, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
Mar 6 2014Carpenter and the Cardinals are working on a multi-year extension to lock up their prized leadoff hitter, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.This has a good chance of getting done before Opening Day as both sides appear to be eager to get a deal done. The deal is rumored to be similar to the five year, $31 million extension Allen Craig received last offseason.
Feb 28 2014Carpenter will hit out of the top spot during the Cardinals' first spring training game Friday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Peter Bourjos has a chance to be the Cardinals' primary leadoff hitter this season but Bourjos is hitting out of the sixth spot Friday. Carpenter is the front-runner to hit out of the leadoff spot again this season, and Bourjos will likely need a scorching spring to take that spot from him.
Feb 17 2014Carpenter and the Cardinals may discuss a contract extension this spring as the third-baseman enters his final season before arbitration, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The Cardinals may look to lock up Carpenter in a way similar to the deal they gave Allen Craig. Carpenter should be in for another excellent season as he settles in at his primary position and hits near the top of the potent Cardinals' lineup.
Sep 21 2013Carpenter went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and a walk against the Brewers on Friday.Carpenter's second double of the night tied him with Hall of Fame legend Stan Musial for most doubles by a left-handed Cardinals player in a single season. While it's doubtful his season of .323 batting with 10 home runs, 76 RBI, 121 runs scored and three stolen bases would put him in the conversation for NL MVP this year, Cardinals fans and fantasy owners will agree that his first full season as the team's second baseman has been nothing short of spectacular and is a major reason for the team's spot atop the NL Central.
Sep 16 2013Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI Monday night as the Cardinals fell to the Rockies 6-2.Carpenter's performance today gives him an eight-game hit streak and hits in 15 of his last 16 games. In his first full season as the Cardinals' second baseman, Carpenter has been everything the team could have hoped for and more, hitting .321 with 10 home runs, 73 RBI and 116 runs scored.
Sep 7 2013Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, one RBI, three runs scored and a walk against the Pirates on Friday.Carpenter has now hit safely in seven straight and is batting .414 (12-for-29) with two RBI, nine runs scored and a stolen base during that span. It's tough to tell who's happier with his overall performance this season, the Cardinals or his fantasy owners. As the leadoff man for St. Louis, he's posted a .317/.385/.484 slash line with 10 home runs, 68 RBI and 109 runs scored. Obviously you'd like a little more speed as he has just three steals on the season, but it's hard to argue against the fact that he's been one of the more productive second baseman in the game this year.
Sep 2 2013Matt Carpenter went 1-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI Monday afternoon.Carpenter's second double in as many days chased home Adam Wainwright in the third inning. After hitting .313 in August, the All-Star infielder is off to a nice start in September, going 3-for-9 with three runs scored and two extra-base hits.
Aug 25 2013Carpenter launched his 10th home run of the season, going 2-for-5 in Saturday's win over Atlanta.Carpenter has contributed in virtually every fantasy category except stolen bases. He's currently hitting .311/.382/.476 with 42 doubles, five triples, 65 RBI, and 96 runs scored. He's delivered big-time for fantasy owners and the Cardinals alike.
Aug 22 2013Carpenter went 2-for-5 with his 42nd double, an RBI and two runs Thursday against the Braves.Carpenter has been streaky at times this year, alternating dry spells with strings of multi-hit contests, so it's worth noting that this effort ended a miniature six-game "slump" in which he hadn't collected more than one hit in a game.
Aug 20 2013Carpenter is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Brewers, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter has started every game since August 3 and he will likely be available off the bench at multiple spots. David Freese will get the start at the hot corner and Kolten Wong will get the nod at second base. He is hitting .316 in August and will be back in the lineup atop the order Wednesday most likely.
Aug 15 2013Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, an RBI and two runs in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh.He's been piling up the hits recently, as a cool stretch at the end of July and start of August has morphed into a streak in which he's racked up 21 hits and batted .412 in the last 11 games.
Aug 12 2013Carpenter went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI in the Cardinals' 8-4 win over Chicago on Sunday.Carpenter has been one of the most consistent parts of the Cardinals' terrific offense, logging 46 multi-hit games this season, matched only by the Angels' Mike Trout. Carpenter has a terrific .308/.378/.467 line and leads all of baseball with 87 runs scored.
Aug 3 2013Carpenter is not in the lineup Saturday against the Reds, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter was given the day off Wednesday due to a deep slump at the plate, but it didn't little to change things, as he's gone 0-for-9 over two games since returning to the lineup. He's recorded just one hit over his last 29 at-bats, with his average crashing 20 points during that stretch.
Jul 31 2013Carpenter is not in Wednesday's starting lineup against the Pirates, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter is slumping -- one hit in this last five games -- and will give way to Daniel Descalso on Wednesday. He will likely return to the lineup for Thursday's game.
Jul 20 2013Carpenter went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, three RBI and a run scored against the Padres on Friday.Carpenter has now hit safely in four straight games and in six of his last seven with four multi-hit performances. Over that span he is batting .444 (12-for-27) with one home run, 11 RBI, seven runs scored and five walks. He's proven to be an incredibly valuable fantasy asset this season and should continue as such as the Cardinals leadoff hitter during the second half.
Jul 11 2013Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a 2-run home run as the Cardinals defeated Houston 5-4.Carpenter continued his assault of the Astros, delivering the game-winning runs with the home run in the bottom of the seventh. The two-run shot was his ninth on the season and it helped push his slugging percentage to .503 and gave him an .897 OPS on the season.
Jul 10 2013Carpenter had another big night Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI in the Cardinals' 9-5 win over Houston.Carpenter continues to be one of the big surprises of the 2013 season, developing into one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. He doesn't possess top-end speed and won't steal many bases, but his .393 OBP is good for 10th in baseball.
Jul 4 2013Carpenter went 3-for-6 with three runs scored and three RBI on Wednesday, doubling and launching his eighth home run of the season in the 12-2 win over the Angels.Carpenter is third in the National League in batting average, hits, and OBP, and second in runs, and doubles. He's been a fantasy goldmine for owners who bought in on his versatility and playing time in a great offense at the beginning of the season. Carpenter's WAR of 3.9 is good for 10th in baseball.
Jul 1 2013Carpenter went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a home run in Sunday's 7-5 loss to Oakland.Carpenter is now batting .322, tying him with Buster Posey for fifth in the National League. He is entrenched in the leadoff role for one of baseballs best offenses with an excellent .397 OBP.
Jun 23 2013Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a solo home run Sunday against Texas.Carpenter has really taken control of the leadoff spot for the Cardinals, and why not? He's hitting .322 with six homers, 27 RBI, and has scored 56 runs. He's really been a nice surprise, and he should continue to be a solid source of runs scored, average, and a few RBI here and there in a potent lineup.
Jun 15 2013Carpenter is not in the Cardinals' lineup Saturday in Miami, FOX Sports Midwest reports.In his stead, Daniel Descalso will cover second base and bat seventh in the order. Meanwhile, Carpenter has maintained a strong plate presence into June, slashing .375/.453/.536 with one home run, seven RBI, and 10 runs scored in 56 at-bats.
Jun 13 2013Following two hitless games, Carpenter got back in the hit column Thursday against the Mets, going 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.He'd gone 0-for-6 over two games on the heels of an 18-game hitting streak, but Carpenter was back to his hot-hitting ways in this one. The only thing missing from his game as a leadoff hitter is steals -- he has just one in three attempts after being caught Thursday.
Jun 6 2013Carpenter stayed hot on Wednesday, going 4-for-5 with a double in the 10-3 loss to Arizona.The multi-hit game was Carpenter's 24th of the season and fourth in a row. He's now hitting .333/.415/.482 on the season and is entrenched in the lead-off spot for the Cardinals.
Jun 4 2013Carpenter went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored in the Cardinals 7-1 win over Arizona on Monday.Carpenter is now tied with Joey Votto for the MLB lead in runs with 46. He's batting .319/.398/.460 and has added some solid defense at second base, committing just one error there on the season. The fact that he is eligible at multiple positions and is raking at the top of one of the MLB's best offense makes him a great fantasy play in all formats.
Jun 1 2013Carpenter is out of the Cardinals' lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Giants.A 1-for-4 performance by Carpenter in Game 1 extended the 27-year-old's hitting streak to 10 games. He'll get a breather in Game 2 with David Freese returning to third and Jon Jay leading off against lefty Madison Bumgarner.
May 28 2013Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, one RBI and two runs scored against the Royals on Tuesday.Carpenter is now batting .309 with four home runs, 18 RBI and a team-high 41 runs scored. He was touted as a strong sleeper heading into this season but still had to beat out Daniel Descalso for the second base job early in the year, so the fact that he's still playing so strongly is impressive. The improved plate discipline is certainly evident and while his 26.3-percent line drive rate may regress a bit, his strong contact rates should help maintain the current .300 range of his batting average. Throw in the multi-position eligibility and you've got yourself quite the fantasy asset.
May 14 2013Carpenter went 2-for-4 on Monday with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI in a win over the Mets.Carpenter has reached base in all but one game so far in the month of May. He should have a strong hold on the lead-off spot for the Cardinals going forward, which will continue to boost his fantasy numbers. He's hitting .294/.373/.449 on the season.
May 5 2013Carpenter is not in the Cardinals' lineup Sunday at Milwaukee.Carpenter's absence will allow Daniel Descalso to enter the field to cover second base and bat seventh. Over the last four outings, Carpenter has batted 6-for-18 with two doubles, one RBI, and three runs scored, which is helping to sustain a .274/.339/.451 batting line.
Apr 28 2013Carpenter (oblique) is back in the lineup Sunday against the Pirates, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.Carpenter was removed from Saturday's contest against the Pirates after experiencing some tightness on his left side in the ninth inning. After reporting no discomfort Sunday morning, he'll be cleared to return to duty at second base.
Apr 27 2013Carpenter went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a walk, and his first career leadoff home run against the Pirates on Friday.Since emerging from a dismal 2-for-25 slump, Carpenter has gone 7-for-20 (.350) with six runs scored, two home runs and two RBI over his last five games. His contact rate is crazy high right now (90.5-percent) but even if it drops a little bit he's still going to prove to be a productive fantasy asset atop the Cardinals' order. Couple that with his multi-position eligibility and the a starting job at second base and you've got a fantastic commodity on your hands. Look for him to shine next week as he faces five right-handed starters and owns a career .830 OPS against right-handed pitching.
Apr 27 2013Carpenter left Saturday's game against the Pirates after he felt a "pinch" in his side, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter dealt with oblique issues last season, but it unclear if the sensation he felt Saturday was related and/or will require a trip to the disabled list. Expect the Cardinals' training staff to evaluate him before Sunday's game.
Apr 24 2013Carpenter went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while leading off against the Nationals on Wednesday.With Jon Jay mired in a slump and getting his second straight day off, Carpenter was the temporary fill-in as the Cards' leadoff man Wednesday. Even with Jay in the lineup, Carpenter has been used in that role on occasion recently as Wednesday was his fourth time in that spot this season.
Apr 21 2013Carpenter hit his second homer of the year but also struck out twice in Sunday night's loss to the Phillies.Once again Carpenter started at second base, and he's now played over 10 games at the position, making him eligible there in many traditional roto formats.
Apr 20 2013Carpenter is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Phillies.Carpenter will get what looks like a day off amidst a mini 1-for-13 slump. In his first two games batting leadoff for the Cardinals, Carpenter went 0-for-6 with a walk, but Mike Matheny praised him after Thursday's game for his ability to work the count and take pitches.
Apr 19 2013Carpenter went 0-for-4 in his first game at the top of the lineup for the Cardinals in a win over Philadelphia on Thursday.Carpenter has been praised by manager Mike Matheny on his ability to work the count and take pitches. If he can stick at the top of the order for the potent Cardinals offense it should provide a nice bump to his fantasy value.
Apr 10 2013Carpenter started at second base and went 4-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and a pair of runs scored against the Reds on Wednesday.The appearance at second base was only his second of the season, but Carpenter's workload at the keystone should increase with David Freese back in the mix at third base after an early-season stint on the DL. Carpenter is now 14-for-35 (.400) with a homer and six RBI through nine games this season.
Apr 8 2013Carpenter is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds, according to David Solomon of KTRS St. Louis.Carpenter will get the day off with David Freese returning to action and Daniel Descalso starting at second base. While Freese's presence will cost Carpenter some starts at the hot corner, he is better with the bat than Descalso, so he figures to see plenty of action at second base, while also filling at at other spots around the diamond.
Apr 7 2013Carpenter will make his first start of the season at second base Sunday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Expected to begin the season as the starter at second base, Carpenter has been playing primarily at third base after David Freese was placed on the disabled list near the end of the spring. Carpenter will likely remain at third on most nights until Freese returns (likely at some point next week), but should acquire eligibility at second base shortly thereafter.
Mar 28 2013Carpenter is likely to begin the season as the starter at third base while David Freese is on the DL, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter will figure into the mix at second base after Freese returns (maybe as early as the second week of the season), but he'll get regular time at third base at the first week of the season.
Mar 22 2013After serving as the leadoff hitter in Thursday's Grapefruit League game, manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter could be a potential top of the order option at some point this season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.In his time with the Cardinals last season, Carpenter certainly demonstrated the ideal on-base skills to serve as a leadoff threat, albeit without the typical speed associated with that part of the lineup. With the likelihood that he'll quickly see regular starts at second base and already possessing eligibility at first base, third base and outfield in most fantasy formats, Carpenter could be an excellent selection to fill out your bench near the end of NL-only and deep mixed league drafts.
Mar 21 2013With the release of Ronny Cedeno, it looks like Carpenter has won the starting second base job for St. Louis, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.It's not official, but the moves means Daniel Descalso will likely be in a utility role since he can play shortstop. Carpenter could be a nice sleeper since his bat could be an asset for fantasy leagues at second base. However, he'll need to field the position well to stay in the lineup.
Mar 10 2013Carpenter and Daniel Descalso are expected to continue to battle for the second base job even after the season begins, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Though a corner infielder by trade, Carpenter has only fielded ground balls at second base this spring in an effort to give him an opportunity to win a full-time job. While his lack of experience in the middle infield may make him less polished than Descalso, he boasts a superior bat and remains the more enticing fantasy option of the two. Both players are left-handed hitters, so expect one to ultimately emerge as the everyday second baseman without having to accept a platoon situation.
Feb 26 2013Carpenter has logged the most innings at second base for the Cardinals so far with 10 over Kolten Wong's nine. He's handled all five of his chances in the short sample so far.He excelled with the bat in limited time last year posting an 828 OPS in 340 PA. If he can lock down a substantial amount of playing time via second base, he becomes a shallow mixed league asset as someone who can do a bit of everything with batting average being his big ticket skill.
Oct 25 2012Carpenter has been asked to focus on playing second base during the offseason, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter will already qualify at first base, third base, and outfield in 2013, but if he comes into the season as a second baseman, he'll be that much more valuable. He's capable of batting .300 with a strong OBP, but his moderate power might be better suited to a middle-infielder role.
Oct 18 2012Carpenter is in the lineup for Thursday's Game 4 of the NLCS, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports.Carpenter, who hit a go-ahead home run Wednesday, will get the start with Carlos Beltran sidelined to a sprained knee. Carpenter will start at first base, and Allen Craig will shift to right field and start in Beltran's place.
Oct 18 2012With Carlos Beltran (knee) possibly out for Game 3 and possibly beyond, Carpenter should be in the starting lineup Thursday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter replaced Beltran Wednesday and hit a big home run against Matt Cain, so the Cardinals may not miss much while Beltran is gone. Beltran has just a mild knee sprain and isn't even ruled out yet for Thursday's game, but Carpenter will probably get the start just to be on the safe side.
Sep 29 2012Carpenter went 1-for-3 with two walks, a double, three runs scored and one RBI against the Nationals on Friday.Carpenter is having a nice finish to the season, hitting safely in six of his last seven games with six walks and six runs scored in that span. With eligibility at first, third and in the outfield, he is proving to be a valuable commodity here down the stretch. If your league has a five-game minimum for eligibility, then you'll be able to use him at second base as well.
Sep 14 2012Carpenter is starting at second base and batting seventh Friday, FOX Spots Midwest reports.Playing Carpenter at second gives St. Louis their best possible lineup, but he's considered to be a defensive downgrade from Skip Schumaker and Daniel Descalso. We probably won't see this alignment too many more times, but if we do, Carpenter could enter next season with eligbility at four positions: outfield, first base, second base, and third base. He doesn't play every day, but has started five of the Cardinals' past seven games, and would probably be a valuable asset if he got consistent playing time.
Sep 12 2012Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a home run in a 3-2 Cardinals' loss to the Padres Wednesday.Carpenter his his first home run of the month and his fifth of the season. He has struggled in the month of September but has otherwise had a productive season with a .305 batting average.
Sep 10 2012Carpenter could be in line to get another start at third base Monday, even if David Freese's ankle is ok, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "I don't know. There's another guy (Matt Carpenter) playing third base pretty good right now."Carpenter bounced back from his hand injury to go 2-for-5 and score the game-winning run, sliding head-first no less.
Sep 9 2012Carpenter, who left Saturday's game with lacerations to his hands, should be available for Sunday's series finale against Milwaukee, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter doesn't wear a batting glove, and he paid for that decision Saturday when a broken bat put a few shards of wood into his hands.
Sep 9 2012Carpenter (hand) is back in the lineup Sunday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter left Saturday's game with multiple lacerations on his hands, but they've been glued back together. He'll try to play without having to use batting gloves, but either way, he appears fine to deploy as you normally would.
Sep 8 2012Carpenter was removed from the game in the bottom of the third inning with a hand injury, the Cardinals' official Twitter reports.After following through for a base hit off the Brewers' Mike Fiers, Carpenter quickly dropped the bat in pain while running to first base. He'll likely be examined more closely to determine the extent of the injury.
Sep 8 2012Matt Holliday (back) was a late scratch Friday, so Carpenter got the start, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter reached base four times, but the Cardinals lost in extra innings.
Aug 31 2012Carpenter injured his right ankle prior to Thursday's game, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Apparently Carpenter was available to pinch-hit Thursday and may be able to play the field as soon as Friday. He only has one home run since May 15, but is still the owner of an impressive .307/.374/.493 triple slash line on the season. Carpenter would be a starter on most teams, but the Cardinals are absolutely loaded at the corner infield and outfield spots so he's relegated to pinch-hitting duties a lot of the time. The return of Lance Berkman could further cut into Carpenter's at-bats.
Aug 12 2012Carpenter went 4-for-6 with three RBI in Sunday's loss to the Phillies.Carpenter was getting a spot start in place of David Freese at third base. He's hit well in spot duty (.300/.377/.494), but he has the problem of being blocked at both corner infield spots - in fact, he's not even next in line when Lance Berkman is healthy, but also behind Allen Craig.
Aug 8 2012Carpenter went 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk during Wednesday's 15-0 loss to San Francisco.Carpenter was pretty much the only bright spot on a horrible night for St. Louis. The at bats have been hard to come by lately, but nobody doubts that Carpenter can produce when given the opportunity.
Jul 26 2012Carpenter is starting at first base Thursday against the Dodgers, Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter will get the start at first base as the Cardinals don't yet feel comfortable inserting Lance Berkman (knee) back into the lineup. Berkman is unlikely to hit the DL, so Carpenter's recent run of playing time could be short-lived.
Jul 6 2012Carpenter started at second base Thursday against Colorado, his first game ever at the position.Carpenter had a single and two walks in three plate appearances, but came out of the game, presumably to get a better glove at second. The Cardinals have trotted out Tyler Greene, Daniel Descalso, and Skip Schumacher at second base, but none have been the answer offensively. Manager Mike Matheny just wanted to get Carpenter some at-bats, so the three-headed monster probably shouldn't read too much into this peculiar decision.
Jun 24 2012Carpenter will start at first base and bat seventh in the lineup Sunday, FOX Sports Midwest reports.It will be the third straight start for Carpenter since coming off the DL with an oblique injury. He went 3-for-9 at the plate in the previous two starts against Kansas City.
Jun 15 2012Carpenter (oblique) could rejoin the active roster as early as Tuesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.When Skip Schumaker, Lance Berkman, Jon Jay, and Carpenter getting close to returning to the active roster, the Cardinals are going to have to make some decisions about their roster configuration. It's a better problem than having many of their best players on the shelf, but Carpenter - among others - could feel the squeeze.
Jun 13 2012Carpenter (oblique) will begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Thursday night, FOX Sports Midwest reports.Even after his eventual return from the DL, expect Carpenter to experience limited time in the field with Allen Craig fully healthy from a hamstring injury and a slumping Matt Adams looking to turn around his fortunes.
Jun 12 2012Carpenter (oblique) participated in team batting practice Tuesday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.Carpenter is close to starting a rehab assignment. The Cardinals are yet to tell him to which minor league team he will be assigned.
Jun 10 2012Carpenter (right oblique strain) will go on a rehab assignment soon, the Cardinals' official site reports.When he returns, he might have a hard time getting playing time, with Allen Craig back off the DL and Matt Adams up with the big league team.
Jun 6 2012Carpenter (ribs) will take batting practice Thursday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.Carpenter is also participating in other baseball activities, so if he makes it through Thursday's session without issue, he could be sent out on a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. He could face a playing time crunch when he returns with Allen Craig healthy and Matt Adams also holding his own at first base.
May 23 2012Carpenter, who suffered a strained right oblique while hitting a first-inning double, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, The Sports Xchange reports.While it's admirable how well the Cards are doing without Albert Pujols, we wonder just how many injuries the team can parry before the wins start getting much harder to come by. As for Carpenter, he made for a nice free agent pickup over the weekend given his expanded playing time, but you can now add him to the current St. Louis injury heap.
May 22 2012Carpenter was removed from the game with a right side tightness in the first inning of Tuesday's contest, B.J. Rains of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Daniel Descalso replaced Carpenter as the third baseman. Consider Carpenter day-to-day until more information comes in.
May 22 2012Carpenter will go in for an MRI Wednesday but doesn't believe his side injury is serious, B.J. Rains of Fox Sports Midwest reports.Carpenter thought at first he may have torn or pulled an oblique, but after talking to teammates he seems encouraged he'll be able to avoid a major injury of that sort. We won't know until the MRI comes in, but cautious optimism seems warranted at this point.
May 19 2012Carpenter went 0-for-3 after coming off the bench Saturday against the Dodgers.Lance Berkman left this game with an apparent right knee injury. Prospect Matt Adams could be on his way to St. Louis if Berkman lands on the DL, but Carpenter would likely still see a good deal of playing time at first even if Adams is in the fold.
May 18 2012Carpenter will start at first base and bat second in Friday's lineup, the Cardinals' official Twitter reports.It appears the Cardinals are easing Lance Berkman back from the calf injury that sent him to the disabled list earlier this season. Carpenter will likely return to a bench role Saturday.
May 11 2012Carpenter will start at third base and bat seventh Friday, FSN Midwest reports.David Freese hasn't had an off day since April 15, so manager Mike Matheny likely viewed Friday as a good opportunity to give Freese a rest. Carpenter should return to a bench role Saturday.
May 6 2012Carpenter is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros, the Cardinals' official Twitter page reports.Allen Craig is getting a start at first base and batting cleanup against left-hander J.A. Happ.
Apr 19 2012Carpenter will start at first base in Thursday's game against the Reds, according to the Cardinals' official Twitter page.Carpenter will get the start in place of Lance Berkman, who aggravated a calf injury in Wednesday's game. Carpenter filled in admirably at first base for an injured Berkman earlier this season, and with his batting average still at .375, it's likely that he will see regular action at first base again if Berkman lands on the DL. Carpenter is likely to cool off some, but with 11 RBI already and the potential to see regular playing time, he could be a sneaky fantasy play - especially at third base.
Apr 15 2012Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a homer and five RBI in Sunday's win over the Cubs.Carpenter was filling in for the injured Lance Berkman and has started the last four games. Berkman could be back Tuesday, however, limiting Carpenter's playing time going forward.
Apr 13 2012With Lance Berkman (calf) out of action for the weekend, Carpenter could be in line for two or three starts, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports.Daniel Descalso could see some time at first base as well. Allen Craig (knee) is eligible to come of the DL and would be a natural choice to back up Berkman, but the Cardinals aren't talking about him as an option. Berkman is expected to return Tuesday, but it's possible he may not be ready by then.
Mar 26 2012With the release of Alex Cora on Sunday, it looks like Carpenter is going to head north with the Cardinals, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will likely back up David Freese at third base, but he could play corner outfield spots in a pinch.
Mar 20 2012Carpenter hit a home run Monday and is still in the running for a roster spot, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The torn oblique suffered by Skip Schumaker will give an opportunity to one young Cardinals hitter. Rule 5 pick Erik Komatsu probably has the inside track, but Carpenter, Adron Chambers, and Shane Robinson all figure into the competition as well. Carpenter is hitting .296/.406/.556 with five RBI in 27 at-bats this spring. He's only played third base in the minors, so he's probably more of a longshot than the other candidates.
Jun 16 2011As expected, Carpenter has been optioned to Triple-A, the Cards' official Twitter feed reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He was deemed expendable with the Cards needing to create a roster spot for Wednesday starter Kyle McClellan.
Jun 5 2011Though Carpenter didn't play Friday night, the Cardinals expect to use him a bit more than they used Pete Kozma, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter took Kozma's spot on the roster Friday after Kozma got just eight at-bats during his brief time with the club. "There's going to be a lot of intrigue," said manager Tony La Russa, rather cryptically. The Cardinals have tried to find a regular to play at third while David Freese has been on the shelf, but have managed to get by with Daniel Descalso and other options. Carpenter becomes the latest option.
Jun 3 2011Carpenter was called up by the Cardinals on Friday, St. Louis Today reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter will provide depth at third base for the Cards. He's hit .283 with two home runs, 23 RBI, and two steals through 173 at-bats at Triple-A this season.
Apr 1 2011Carpenter has experienced minor back discomfort since getting sent down last week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter is a potential candidate to replace Matt Holliday (appendectomy) if Holliday needs to go on the DL, but if he's hobbled too, the Cardinals may give the job to Adron Chambers.
Mar 21 2011The Cardinals assigned Carpenter to minor league camp Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter hit .340 this spring, but it appears the Cardinals will hand a utility job to Daniel Descalso instead, at least until Nick Punto (groin) is able to return. Expect Carpenter to open the season as the starting third baseman with Triple-A Memphis.
Mar 18 2011With the move to assign Ramon Vazquez to minor league camp Thursday, the Cardinals' last bench spot will go to either Carpenter or Daniel Descalso, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Carpenter has been playing a lot this spring, but Descalso has a bit more versatility. Neither is expected to have much value this season.
Mar 8 2011With David Freese and Nick Punto both limited this spring, Carpenter has been seeing a lot of action at third base. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Now that Freese is back, Carpenter probably won't play as much, but so far, last year's Organizational Player of the Year has looked like he belongs in the big leagues, slugging .737 and driving in six runs in eight games. He'll likely hold down the hot corner in Triple-A Memphis, but could see some action in St. Louis this summer if Freese can't handle the job. That said, Carpenter is not the prospect Zach Cox is, so he probably does not have a long-term job at third base in St. Louis.