The New York Yankees announced that they have released Chris Carter. He had been designated for assignment on July 4.
Carter, 30, hit .201 with eight homers, 26 RBIs and a .284 on-base percentage in 208 plate appearances. They signed him back in February to a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
One one level, it was a smart signing. Carter led the National League in homers last year with 41 and drove in 94 runs. On the other hand, it was one of the emptier 40-homer years in history, as Carter hit only .222 and only got on base at a .321 clip. He slugged .499 which is fine in the abstract, but not for a 40-homer player. In short, he was dangerous if you made a mistake, but he wasn’t making things happen in a way a good player does. The Brewers didn’t tender him a contract in the offseason, making him available to the Yankees.
The Yankees are responsible for paying the rest of his salary, which is less than $2 million at this point. If anyone else signs him, they will be responsible for the prorated share of the $535,000 major league minimum.
