The end may be near for a Cardinal fan favorite player

"I've got a lot of emotions right now. My phone has just been blowing up with a lot of old friends reaching out. I just want to thank Mr. DeWitt, Mo, the front office for giving me this opportunity, being back here in a Cardinals uniform where it all started."

Those were Matt Carpenter's words after signing a one-year deal to come back to St. Louis for the 2024 season. After spending parts of two seasons in New York and San Diego, the prodigal son was returning to the city where he started his career.

Drafted in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB draft, Carpenter's path to the majors was already steep and arduous. Very rarely does a player drafted that late make it through most of the levels of the minors let alone make a major league career comparable to Marp's. However, Matt Carpenter worked hard to make it to the majors, and his dream came true on June 4th, 2011 against the Chicago Cubs. Since then, he's finished as high as fourth in National League Most Valuable Player voting, he's played in three All-Star Games, and he has a Silver Slugger Award.

With just over two weeks left in the regular season, it may be time to bid farewell to the three-time All-Star. Carpenter, now 38, hasn't officially stated that this will be his last year, but it's seeming more and more likely as his role has become diminished in recent years. While his 2024 output doesn't measure up to his career statistics -- he has a .236/.317/.378 slash line this year with just four home runs and 15 runs batted in through 127 at-bats -- he's still been a worthy addition to the roster.

Matt Carpenter became the torch bearer for the team following the departures of players like Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. He was one of the team's best and most versatile players throughout the 2010s, and fans of that era have many fond memories of Carpenter on the field. Perhaps most known for his lack of batting gloves, Carpenter will be remembered for his stellar offensive performances, willingness to play anywhere on the diamond, and his leadership both on and off the field.

Carpenter will be missed, but he'll likely hear his name be mentioned among other St. Louis legends. He's a shoo-in for the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame down the road should he accept the nomination, and he deserves a goodbye ceremony this year that measures up to his contributions to the franchise.