Yankees sign three-time All-Star infielder Matt Carpenter

Former St. Louis Cardinals star infielder Matt Carpenter is joining the New York Yankees on a Major League contract, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Carpenter, 36, made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2011 and spent 11 seasons with the team. He became a free agent for the first time in 2022 when St. Louis declined to pick up the option on his contract.

In 1,329 games for the Cardinals split mostly between starts at first, second, and third base, Carpenter earned three All-Star nods, one Silver Slugger Award, and finished fourth in NL MVP voting in 2013. He has a career batting average of .262 with 155 home runs and 576 RBIs. Last season, Carpenter batted just .169.

Near the end of the 2021 season, Carpenter told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he had no plans of retirement and that he "definitely" planned on playing in 2022. Carpenter spent spring training with the Texas Rangers, who optioned him to the Triple-A Round Rock Express when he didn't make the Opening Day roster. In 21 games with the Express, Carpenter batted .275, but was released by the Rangers in May.

The Yankees have stumbled into bad injury luck in the last week with Giancarlo Stanton landing on the 10-day injured list, and a few players — including Josh Donaldson and Joey Gallo — getting placed on the COVID injured list.