Now this is some kind of souvenir.

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter, who had one of his right ribs removed in surgery earlier this season, gave the rib to his 7-year-old daughter, Ava.

The New Hampshire-bred pitcher told Fox Sports Midwest she had asked for a memento of his hospital stay.

“(The rib) is actually in one of my cabinets in my bathroom,” Carpenter said. “I’m still trying to figure out what we’re going to do with it. It’s probably smelling really good. It’s in a jar with some of that solution. It was pretty gross, actually.

“My daughter asked me to bring something back from the hospital and she said ‘your rib.’ So I brought my rib back. Fortunately the doctor gave it to me and allowed me to take it home.

“I’m sure we’ll do something with it ... Make a necklace or bracelets or something. We haven’t figured that out yet.”

Carpenter is schduled to make his first start of the season Friday against the Chicago Cubs.