Yankees sign ex-Cardinals Matt Carpenter

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — – matt carpenter was included in the New York Yankees’ lineup as a designated hitter after agreeing to a one-year deal on Thursday, a week after he was released from the Texas Rangers’ minor league system.

Carpenter entered the lineup for the series opener at Tampa Bay when center fielder Aaron Hicks it was removed shortly before game time. Aaron Judge he was moved from DH to center field.

“It happened fast and now I’m here and I couldn’t be more excited,” Carpenter said after meeting with manager Aaron Boone at Tropicana Field.

“We had a quick chat about it, but my response to him is that I’m excited to put on a uniform and be a part of the best team in baseball right now,” Carpenter said. “I’m excited to be here. I’m going to start work.”

Injury-battered New York also selected the 31-year-old southpaw’s contract. Manny Banuelos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Bañuelos was in the Yankees’ minor league system from 2008 to 2014, but never made it to the Major League club during that time.

Carpenter, 36, gets a $1 million contract in the major leagues and $200,000 in the minors. A three-time All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals, he hit .275 with six home runs and 19 RBI in 21 games for Round Rock of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Carpenter spent the previous 11 seasons with the Cardinals, batting .262 with 155 home runs and 576 RBIs. He hit .169 last year with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 207 at-bats.

He played 19 games at first this year, one at third and two as designated hitter.

DJ LeMahieuwho has shared time at third base with Josh Donaldson while also playing first and second, he missed the last two games of a series against Baltimore due to left wrist soreness and was not in the starting lineup Thursday night.

Donaldson remained in New York with a cough and felt better after receiving intravenous fluids, according to Boone. Donaldson remains negative for COVID-19.

Boone said he could use Carpenter at first base, third base, right field and maybe second.

“He’s someone who’s been on our radar the last couple of months,” Boone said. “We’ve been watching him for a while as a left-handed bat off the bench … he’s a pro guy on the left side, and we feel like he can help us.”

Bañuelos receives a salary of $800,000 in the major leagues and $150,000 in the minors. He was assigned number 68, the number he used to wear with the Yankees by his old friend Dellin Betances.

He pitched in the major leagues for Atlanta in 2015 and the Chicago White Sox in 2019, going 4-8 with a 6.31 ERA in 14 starts and seven relief appearances. Bañuelos is 0-2 with a 2.35 ERA in five starts and two relief appearances for Scranton, striking out 30 and walking 12 in 30⅔ innings.

Bañuelos, a member of Mexico’s pitching staff at last year’s Olympics, split the 2021 season between Taiwan’s Guardians of Fubon and Mexico’s Sultanes de Monterrey.

“It was great to have him around this spring and he’s pitched really well,” Boone said. “He put himself on our map this spring with his performance and carried him into the season.”

New York assigned receiver Rob Brantly directly to the RailRiders. The Yankees opened up slots on the 26-man active roster by sending the left-hander J. P. Sears and the gardener Stephen Florial to Scranton after Wednesday’s 2-0 win.