Short-stinted with the Padres, fan favorite Matt Carpenter announces MLB retirement

Although he won't quite be remembered as a San Diego Padre, Matt Carpenter will always be loved by Friars fans. On Wednesday, May 14, Carpenter announced his retirement from Major League Baseball following a solid 14-season career.

He spent 12 of those years with the St. Louis Cardinals, and just one with the Padres, but San Diego fans always give kudos to great players who passed through Petco Park at any point in their journey.

Carpenter spent the 2023 campaign with the Padres. After a late resurgence in his career with the New York Yankees in 2022, San Diego took a flyer on the versatile veteran. He was a fan favorite in the Bronx after flexing 24 extra-base hits in 47 games, so it made sense for the Padres to go after him at 37 years old.

With the Padres, Carpenter batted .176 across 76 contests with 12 doubles, five home runs, and 31 RBIs. It appears subpar, but Carpenter also walked 41 times, giving him a .322 on-base percentage despite his low batting average.

Carpenter exited San Diego on a high note, hitting a home run in his final game as a Friar. He went deep on September 10, 2023 on the road at Houston. He batted 1-for-2 that game with two walks, too. He then played his final season with the Cardinals, back where it all started for him.

Carpenter retires with a 28.7 bWAR alongside 179 home runs, three All-Star nods, a Silver Slugger, and 329 doubles. That's as solid of a career as it gets for a 13th-round draft pick. The entire baseball community, including San Diego fans, wish him the best in retirement. His personality and positive image hopefully will keep him in the game somehow, maybe as a broadcaster or assistant coach somewhere.