We heard yesterday that the Cardinals and infielder Matt Carpenter were in talks about a long-term contract extension and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports this morning that the deal is done. The Cardinals will hold a press conference later this morning to formally announce the agreement.
Per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the deal is for six years and $52 million. It will cover Carpenter’s final pre-arbitration season, all three seasons of arbitration and at least his first two free agent years.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has the contract breakdown, which includes an $18.5 million club option for a seventh year:
Carpenter breakdown with #STLCards: $1.5M signing bonus, $1M, $3.5M, $6.25M, $9.75M, $13.5M, $14.5M, $18.5M club option or $2M buyout.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2014
Carpenter didn’t get his first crack at a starting job until his age-27 season last year, but he took advantage by hitting .318/.392/.481 with 11 home runs and 78 RBI. He led the National League in hits, doubles, and runs scored. Now he’s a key piece of the Cardinals’ core.
