Padres ink 3-time NL All-Star slugger

The San Diego Padres made a move and signed a three-time NL All-Star on Tuesday.

Matt Carpenter and the Padres agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The signing returns Carpenter to the National League after he spent 2022 with the New York Yankees in the American League.

On Tuesday afternoon, the club revealed Carpenter’s signing on Twitter. The team announced, “The Padres have signed Matt Carpenter to a one-year contract through the 2023 season.”

The #Padres have signed Matt Carpenter to a one-year contract through the 2023 season.

Details: https://t.co/aEJuEORCMB pic.twitter.com/KQ63N8Zuf1

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) December 20, 2022

Carpenter spent 11 seasons previously in the NL with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he enjoyed a bevy of success. He won a World Series championship in his first season with the club. Then he was selected to three All-Star teams: 2023, 2014, and 2016.

In 2022, Carpenter slugged 15 bombs with the Yankees in a surprisingly good season. 2022 marked the first time since 2019 that he hit 10+ home runs. Fittingly, he hit exactly 15 with the Cardinals in 2019.

In his career, Carpenter has struggled at PETCO Park as a visitor against the Padres. According to Baseball-Reference, in 74 plate appearances, he’s hit .188/.284/.297 with one home run, two doubles, 25 strikeouts, and nine walks. But 74 plate appearances amassed is hardly a large sample, of course.

Carpenter spoke to San Diego-area reporters after he signed with the team. Marty Caswell of San Diego Sports 760 tweeted, “Matt Carpenter ‘it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what’s going on in San Diego is pretty special.'”

Matt Carpenter "it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what's going on in San Diego is pretty special. " pic.twitter.com/xTSaDn3gIS

— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) December 21, 2022

As it pertains to the ‘stache? Carpenter says that it’s definitely not going anywhere yet, not until ‘the ride’ ends for TCU at least.