Brandon Crawford Update: 3-time All-Star released by the Cardinals following reinstatement of infielder Matt Carpenter

The St. Louis Cardinals unconditionally released shortstop Brandon Crawford from their roster on Tuesday. On the same day, the club announced the return of infielder Matt Carpenter from the 10-day injured list.

Carpenter was activated after being sidelined due to a lower back strain. In addition, the Cardinals sent outfielder Jordan Walker to the minors and recalled infielder Luken Baker.

Crawford, who was added to the team through free agency this offseason to back up rookie shortstop Masyn Winn, struggled during the 2024 season. The 37-year-old batted .169 with one home run and four RBIs in 80 plate appearances, finishing with a .544 OPS in 28 games.

Discussing Brandon Crawford’s release, St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said (via AP News):

“It’s never easy. This is a tough business... We tried. We really wanted to see him finish the season with us and get through it, but there’s a lot of demands on our roster right now.”

Brandon Crawford was a three-time All-Star, two-time World Champion, and four-time Gold Glove Award winner during his time with the San Francisco Giants (2011-2023).

He is coming off a 2023 season where he batted .194 with seven homers and 38 RBIs in 93 games for the Giants. He played his last game with the Cardinals on August 10.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol on Brandon Crawford's contribution to the team

Brandon Crawford inked a one-year contract worth $2 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in February. Discussing his contribution to the team, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said (via AP News):

“I have a incredible amount of respect for Crawford, for his career, what he did away from here, but also what he brought to the table while he was here. I know many may look at it and go he wasn’t on the field a whole lot ... but you’re missing a big part of what makes the team a team, and his steadiness and overall mentality and the way he goes about his business brought a ton to the table.”

The Cardinals (61-64) are third in the NL Central standings with a .488 winning percentage. They lost the series opener 3-2 against the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.