Matt Carpenter wasted no time capitalizing on the Yankee Stadium short porch, homering to right in his first at-bat in the Bronx since being signed last week.
It was Carpenter’s second long ball since joining the Bombers, and hopes he can get a lot more over the shallow right field fence that many lefties have feasted on before him.
“I never really put myself there in my mind, but I did think it would be nice to have that short porch over there,” Carpenter said. “I hit that ball, I don’t know what the exit velo was, but I know I didn’t hit it great, just put a good swing, not a great swing on it, and it flew out. I can get used to that.”
Carpenter was a bonafide power threat during his prime with the Cardinals before falling off significantly in recent years, but he feels he has rediscovered his swing, which would be a big boost for the Yankees, who need offense while big bats like Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson are on the mend.
“I got my path back that I had for most of my career and I lost the clast couple seasons,” Carpenter said. “I feel like I’m staying on balls and able to put the ball in the air with good spin, and having competitive at bats, seeing the ball. When you’re confident and have a good swing and feel like you can face anybody, I do feel that way right now.”
Carpenter’s first home game in the Bronx wasn’t just a chance to take advantage of the short porch. It was also an opportunity to take in the first time putting on the pinstripes and getting another crack at his big-league career.
“You can’t really put it into words,” Carpenter said. “I was a baseball fan a lot longer than I've been a baseball player. The meaning and what it feels like to walk in this clubhouse, but even more so, to put on the pinstripes and walk out onto Yankee Stadium. For a baseball fan, that's pretty special.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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