Jeff Curry/USA Today Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals’ former first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has agreed on a one-year, $12.5 million deal with the Yankees. New York has yet to confirm the deal that was reported by the YES Network’s Jack Curry.
Goldschmidt’s First Time On Free-Agent Market
This off-season is the first time in Goldschmidt’s career that he has been on the open market. After spending the first seven years of his career in Arizona, he was traded to the Cardinals in 2018. He then signed a contract extension with St. Louis.
Goldschmidt had several strong seasons for the Cardinals, including an MVP performance in 2022, while also earning his seventh All-Star appearance. The first baseman put up a .317/.404/.578 slash line with an OPS of .981 and 35 homeruns during his MVP campaign. However, a decline at the plate would follow. He took a step back in 2023 but still managed a solid season. Unfortunately, the slugging first baseman’s production at the plate declined sharply in 2024 to the point where he was a below-average hitter. The first baseman had the worst offensive season of his career, with a slash line of .245/.302/.414 with 22 homeruns.
Can Goldschmidt Turn Things Around in New York?
The question remains whether or not Goldschmidt can rebound at age 37. The slugger has been one of the best hitters of his era and one of the best defensive players at first base. He has a career slash line of .289/.381/.510 with 362 home runs over 14 seasons. Additionally, he has won four Gold Gloves.
Goldschmidt joins a Yankees team that once again is all in on a championship run. The Yankees started by signing lefty pitcher Max Fried and traded for closer Devin Williams and outfielder Cody Bellinger. The addition of Goldschmidt should lengthen their line-up even further if he can rebound a little bit. He may not ever return to his former production but can still provide some thump in the line-up and top-notch defense at first base. Additionally, his leadership in the clubhouse can not be overlooked.
