ST LOUIS (KMOX) - Two of the formerly longest-tenured players on the St. Louis Cardinals roster are now officially free agents.
On Thursday morning, the team declined to pick up the team options in 2022 for infielder Matt Carpenter and pitcher Carlos Martinez. The two had a combined five All-Star appearances and 20 seasons with St. Louis.
They will be remembered as the splash brothers, for their celebrations after many Carpenter home runs:
The move also take two of the biggest contracts off the books for St. Louis. The Cardinals would have owed Carpenter $18.5 million and Martinez $17 million next season if the option was picked up.
Carpenter, 35, although never living up to his major contract extension, still will be remembered as one of the National League's most dangerous hitters between 2013-2018. He finished in the top-12 MVP voting three times, lead the league in doubles twice and seemed to be able to will the ball outside of the strike zone. He's No. 6 on the Cardinals all-time walks list (699).
He stated earlier this season that he hopes 2021 wasn't his last season in baseball.
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Martinez, 30, has battled injuries for the last two seasons but at times still showed his electric stuff. Although sometimes making more headlines off the field, the Dominican Republic-born righty is still one of the nastiest starting pitchers in recent Cardinals history.
His 2017 and 2015 seasons of 9.5 and 9.2 strikeouts per 9 are the 3rd and 4th best in single-season Cardinals history (only Jack Flaherty in 2019 and Rick Ankiel in 2000 were better). He's also 10th on the Cardinals all-time strikeouts list (927).
Seven other Cardinals in 2021 became free agents on Wednesday, pitchers Luis García, Jon Lester, Andrew Miller, Kwang Hyun Kim, J.A. Happ, Wade LeBlanc and T.J. McFarland.
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