ATLANTA -- First baseman Matt Carpenter was released Monday by the Atlanta Braves, who acquired him last week from San Diego.
The decision costs the Braves in effect $4 million.
Atlanta obtained Carpenter along with left-hander Ray Kerr from the Padres on Friday for outfielder Drew Campbell. As part of the trade, the Padres agreed to pay the Braves $1.5 million. That covers part of Carpenter's $5.5 million salary for next season.
A three-time All-Star with St. Louis, the 38-year-old Carpenter revived his career with the New York Yankees in 2022 when he took advantage of the right-field short porch and hit .305 with 15 homers and 37 RBI. He played for the Yankees from May 26 to Aug. 8, when he broke his left foot with a foul ball. He returned for the postseason and went 1 for 12 with nine strikeouts.
Carpenter signed a $12 million, two-year contract with the Padres that included a $5.5 million player option for 2024. He hit .176 with five homers and 31 RBI, but had just 50 at-bats from July 1 on. Carpenter didn't play after Sept. 10 because of right elbow inflammation.
Carpenter was an All-Star in 2013, '14 and '16. He has .260 career average with 175 homers and 644 RBI for the Cardinals (2011-21), Yankees and Padres.
Also Monday, the Braves hired Rangers analyst C.J. Nitkowski to serve on their main television broadcast team, allowing Jeff Francoeur to spend more time with his family.
Bally Sports and the Braves announced that Nitkowski, who pitched for the Braves in 2004 and still lives in suburban Atlanta, will serve as play-by-play broadcaster Brandon Gaudin's primary analyst.
Francouer and Hall of Famer Tom Glavine are expected to work about 20 games each.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
