Future Cardinals Hall of Famer officially announces retirement from baseball

Grab your favorite salsa today in honor of Matt Carpenter!
St. Louis Cardinals v Miami Marlins
St. Louis Cardinals v Miami Marlins | Carmen Mandato/GettyImages

Very few players defined the 2010s for the St. Louis Cardinals like Matt Carpenter did, and now the future Cardinals Hall of Famer is retiring from the game of baseball.

While there was still hope that Carpenter could find one more big league gig this season, Carpenter confirmed on the Sports Spectrum podcast today that he was hanging up his cleats after an incredible 13-year career.

Matt Carpenter has officially retired from baseball and will soon be a Cardinals Hall of Famer

Carpenter, a 13th-round pick out of Texas Christian University back in 2009, was not a top prospect who was supposed to be the "next big thing". He got a brief taste of big league action in 2011, but then showed out for the Cardinals in his full rookie year in 2012, slashing .294/.365/.463, finishing sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting and posting a 124 wRC+.

Carpenter's breakout season came in his sophomore campaign in 2013, finishing fourth in National League Most Valuable Player posting after slashing .318/.392/.481 with 11 home runs, 55 doubles, 78 RBI, and 126 runs on his way to a 7.2 fWAR season and leading the Cardinals to a World Series appearance. Carpenter was one of the premier lead-off hitters in all of baseball and boosting his value even further by being able to play a variety of positions for the Cardinals.

From 2012 to 2018, Carpenter was one of the most important players on the Cardinals, a key cog in their lineup during their stretch of three NLCS appearances and a World Series appearance from 2012 to 2014. During his time with the Cardinals, he was named an All-Star three times, was awarded one Silver Slugger, and finished top-12 in MVP voting on three different occasions.

In 12 seasons with St. Louis, Carpenter slashed .261/.366/.466 (.812 OPS) with 159 HR, 308 2B, 767 R, and 659 RBI. Once Carpenter is eligible for the Cardinals Hall of Fame, he will be a slam-dunk, first-ballot inductee. Fans got to enjoy one last run with Carpenter in 2024 when he was brought back in a reserve role, as Carpenter spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.

Massive congrats to Carpenter on his incredible big league career. He played the game the right way, was an incredible role-model for kids, and contributed to some of the best years of Cardinals baseball. We'll be sure to update you on any next steps he takes with his post-playing career!