Player says: ‘Cardinals celebration is absolutely not a political statement’

St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Matt Carpenter responded to online speculation about his team’s recent goal celebration, stating multiple times that the gestures were in no way a political statement.

The team celebration came into question Sunday afternoon after an online platform compared the celebration to footage that surfaced shortly after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13.

Clips of Alec Burleson’s home run and the subsequent celebration in the dugout showed Burleson and many of his teammates covering their ears with one hand and simultaneously raising their opposite fists in the air. Lars Nootbaar also made this gesture when he hit his own homerun an inning later and rounded the bases.

Carpenter denied any political motivation, explaining that the celebration was intended as a team joke with Burleson.

“Burleson is a former college rapper,” Carpenter said. “He carried us on the record. (The celebration) is the furthest thing from a political statement.”

Is this a celebration of Trump’s homerun by the Cardinals? photo.twitter.com/f2XrQr0q3u

— Talking Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 21, 2024

“It’s an inside joke with (Burleson),” Carpenter said. “This is not a political statement at all. I don’t know where that came from.”

Carpenter said the gestures are meant to mimic a DJ as a reference to Burleson, who leads the team in home runs. Burleson was a rapper in college, and his teammates consistently call him by his rap name, “Biscuit,” in the clubhouse.

While there were public doubts about the celebration Sunday afternoon, Carpenter said the team had been doing it since the end of the first half of the season.

“It’s starting to catch on,” Carpenter said. “I don’t know who, or the first official that did it on the field, but it was definitely in the first half. It picked up steam in this series, that’s for sure.

“Absolutely not a political statement. I think this is a bit misplaced.”

The Cardinals weren’t the only ones who left viewers wondering about their celebrations. After Rays infielder Taylor Walls doubled Sunday at Yankee Stadium, he raised a fist and muttered “fight, fight,” similar to Trump’s gesture right after his assassination attempt.

Taylor Walls did the Trump “Fight! Fight!” after this double photo.twitter.com/8K5ovTEIQh

— Talking Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 21, 2024

(Photo by Lars Nootbaar: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)