Padres fans furious at Matt Carpenter as he fails to get a hit vs former team: "Definitely still on Yankees payroll"

Matt Carpenter is feeling quite the heat after a poor outing against the New York Yankees. The San Diego Padres' new signing failed to get on the board in the game, striking out thrice and two flyouts. With the rest of the team performing well though, the Padres overcame the Yankees for a 5-1 win.

Matt Carpenter moved from the Bronx to San Diego in the offseason. His contract had a base offer of $3.5 million along with an additional signing bonus of $3 million. Before his one-year spell with the Yankees, the 37-year-old spent his days in St. Louis, playing 10 years with the Cardinals.

The veteran was expected to increase the depth of the Padres' batting lineup which is already strengthened due to the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto and Xander Bogaerts.

However, in 2023 so far, he is yet to make an impression fairing an average of only .179, managing 19 hits in his 106 at-bats.

With the big names, such as Tatis Jr. and Soto getting homers and doing much of the heavy work, Matt Carpenter failed to make any significant impact in the game.

In his first two at-bats against Yankees starter Randy Vasquez, he was struck out looking. The same pattern followed against relievers in his third and fourth, before he was struck out swinging in the top of the ninth for the final out of the Padres' game.

Fans took to Twitter to voice their grievances against the infielder:

Matt Carpenter was filled with gratitude after spending a year in New York

Even though he battled much of last season with an injury, Carpenter was satisfied that he got the opportunity to represent the pinstripes uniform of the Yankees.

He said:

“Just a special year, all in all. One, just to get the opportunity to come here and put on this uniform and play for this franchise and this city. I mean, it’s something I’ll never forget. My kids, my family, we still talk about it, what a great ride it was. I’m super-thankful and so grateful I got that chance,” Carpenter had said at the end of the season.

It remains to be seen how the 37-year-old improves his stats from hereon.