From afar, I have no idea what the St. Louis Cardinals are up to these days, except that it isn’t good. Aside from when I was a very small child, the Cardinals have been a mostly competent business for the most of my 35 years on this world. Not long ago, they had the best corner infield duo in baseball, with Nolan Arenado at third base and Paul Goldschmidt guarding the bag at first.
In the 2024-25 MLB offseason, neither player is likely to return to the Cardinals. Arenado may be moved, and Goldschmidt, who is in his late 30s, will be eligible for free agency. While both players are certain to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame one day, it is unlikely that either will wear a Cardinals cap. It simply did not work out for them.
As John Mozeliak attempts to trade Arenado and Goldschmidt seeks a new home, I believe a great stopgap answer at first base exists if the Cardinals are serious about going back to winning ways. Yes, I am considering signing fellow 30-something first baseman Anthony Rizzo in free agency. He is best recognized for his stint with the Chicago Cubs, but he was also a valuable member of the New York Yankees.
It’s difficult to say what the Cardinals want to do, but what they’ve been doing isn’t working.
Anthony Rizzo could be the one to replace Paul Goldschmidt in St. Louis
We really don’t need to overthink it. All signs point to Goldschmidt walking. While he could legally return, we shouldn’t bank on it. If Rizzo leaves New York for the Cardinals, it may all depend on where Juan Soto decides to play. If he re-signs with the Yankees, Rizzo might want to return. However, Soto’s new contract may be too expensive to pay Rizzo a premium as well.
At this point in the game, I believe Rizzo should go to one of two areas. He could join a championship-contending team, such as the Yankees, or he could go somewhere where he might potentially play every day, such as St. Louis. If he can obtain the best of both worlds in one location, it could be the appropriate choice for him. He and Goldschmidt’s marketplaces are the same.
Overall, I believe you could go with Rizzo to help get rid of some of the Goldschmidt baggage that has emerged. Yes, Rizzo used to play for the Cubs, but baseball is a business, and players join teams they used to despise that compete in the same division as them. He would not be the first former Cub to play for the Cardinals, nor would he be the last.
If the Cardinals truly want to move on from Goldschmidt, there are worse possibilities than Rizzo.
