The New York Yankees have opted for a veteran presence in their corner infield in 2025, agreeing to terms with Paul Goldschmidt, 37. Goldschmidt joins the team after six seasons with the Cardinals, who decided to move on from the former MVP in favor of an internal re-tool. As his offensive numbers decline, Goldschmidt will look to rebound and finish his career as a top first baseman in the MLB.
New York Yankees Reach Agreement with Paul Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt to Yankees, $12.5M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 21, 2024
After eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which he was a near-perennial All-Star, Goldschmidt was acquired by the Cardinals in a blockbuster trade in 2019. Two years later, the Cardinals acquired superstar Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies to form what they hoped would be the most dynamic corner infield pairing in the league.
While the Cardinals made it to the NLCS in Goldschmidt’s first year, they have not won a single postseason game since Arenado’s acquisition and have missed the playoffs each of the past two years.
Goldschmidt signed a five-year, 130-million-dollar extension with the Cardinals in 2020.
His tenure with St. Louis peaked in the 2022 season, in which he won National League MVP and slashed .317/.578/.404. He also produced 7.7 bWAR that season and hit 35 HR and 115 RBI.
However, while Goldschmidt’s defense has stayed steady, his offense has declined rapidly in the two seasons since his remarkable campaign. While a solid August partially salvaged his numbers, Goldschmidt slashed only .245/.414/.302 in 2024. His 65 RBI were the fewest in a full season of his career, and his BA and OBP sat well below his career benchmarks.
While his bounce-back at the end of the season can provide hope to the Yankees that Goldschmidt still has gas left in the tank, it is clear that he is among the secondary options on the first-baseman market behind New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.
Main Photo Credits: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
