With the injury departure of San Diego’s Choi Ji-Man (32), there is a player who has a chance to escape the release clutches. We’re talking about Matt Carpenter (38), a veteran slugger with 174 career home runs.

The San Diego Tribune reported on July 17 (KST) that “the injury to designated hitter Choi, who was acquired via trade, could open the door for veteran All-Star designated hitter Carpenter.”

Choi, who came to San Diego from Pittsburgh earlier this month, has been sidelined since July 13 with left rib soreness after playing seven games. The Padres acquired Choi in hopes that he could provide a run-scoring option for the left-handed designated hitter, which has been a problem this season, but he has yet to live up to expectations.

Carpenter, a 13-year major league veteran, is batting .260 (4701-for-1220) with 174 home runs and 640 RBIs in 1443 career games. The hard-hitting slugger spent 11 seasons (2011-2021) in St. Louis, where he was named a three-time National League All-Star (2013, 2014, 2016), led the league in hits (199) in 2013 and ranked third in home runs (36) in 2018.

After donning a New York Yankees uniform in late May last year, he had a breakout season, batting .305 (39-for-128) with 15 home runs and 37 RBIs in 47 games before suffering an injury in late August. Carpenter, who rebounded despite everyone saying he was done, signed a two-year, $12 million deal with San Diego ahead of this season.

The Padres expected Carpenter to be a left-handed designated hitter who could drive in runs. But the expectations have been disappointing. As of Aug. 18, Carpenter is batting just .165 (28-for-170) with four home runs and 27 RBIs in 67 games this season. His OPS, which combines slugging and on-base percentage, is just .595.

As a result, the San Diego Tribune previously reported that Carpenter, whose spot in the lineup was narrowed by Choi’s arrival, was expected to be released soon. In fact, Carpenter was benched for more than 20 days after his one pinch-hit appearance against Pittsburgh on May 25, and only took the field as a pinch hitter against Baltimore on May 16.

As recently as last week, the San Diego Tribune wrote, “San Diego, which has yet to give up on a playoff run, should release the aging Carpenter as soon as possible to save a roster spot. The team would be better off calling up a minor league prospect to prepare for the playoffs or using him as a prospect showcase for next season.”

But with Choi out, things are looking up. “It’s not easy to keep Carpenter on the bench, and the longer it goes on, the harder it is,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin told the San Diego Tribune on Sunday.

“Even though he’s not playing, he’s still helping the team off the field, with the younger guys looking to him for advice,” Melvin said. “I think he can still be a productive part of the team if he gets more at-bats going forward with the departure of Choi. He’s doing a good job in the clubhouse, and he’s a hard worker,” Melvin added.카지노사이트

“If Carpenter continues to struggle, another option would be to release him and recall outfielder Oscar Mercado, 29, from Triple-A,” the outlet wrote.

Mercado, who made his major league debut with Cleveland in 2019, started this season with St. Louis but was recently released and rejoined San Diego. At Triple-A San Diego, he’s been hitting well, with five home runs and 16 RBIs in his last 10 games. His Triple-A numbers this season are .310 with 12 homers, 48 RBIs, and a .927 OPS.