Matt Carpenter takes player option with Padres for next season

San Diego Padres infielder/DH Matt Carpenter has exercised his $5.5 million player option, according to Ari Alexander of KPRC 2.

There was no way Carpenter, who hit .176 last season, was going to decline over $5 million in guaranteed money. Who knows if the Padres will actually keep him on their roster but at the very least he will get a shot in spring training if San Diego can’t find a team to take his contract this offseason.

One scenario Carpenter may be elsewhere is if the Padres determine they need to trade Juan Soto because of financial reasons and there’s a desperate team out there that is willing to give San Diego some impactful pieces while also taking on Carpenter in the same deal (kind of like how the Los Angeles Dodgers took on David Price so they could get Mookie Betts).

In case you missed it yesterday, Seth Lugo declined his player option so now the Padres are down to two players in terms of option decisions: Michael Wacha and Nick Martinez. Both have $16 million club options, which become player options if they’re declined.