The St. Louis Cardinals were willing to let Paul Goldschmidt leave after the 2024 season, therefore terminating their six-year alliance. After the 2018 season, St. Louis traded for Goldy, who went on to make two NL All-Star teams and win an MVP as a Cardinal. His gold glove defense at first base was also an asset, which could explain why numerous teams are lining up for the 37-year-old’s services.
Despite a subpar year offensively, Goldschmidt still produced 1.3 WAR. He slashed.242/.305/.414 and had an OPS slightly higher than.700. Goldschmidt is nearing retirement, which he admits, but he still has a few strong years left in him, albeit in a limited position. ESPN’s Jeff Passan stated in his free agency notebook that Goldy should receive some offers this winter.
“How much is left?” Goldschmidt, 37, is coming off the worst season of his 14-year career. He also performed far better in the second half. Given his background and makeup, Goldschmidt will find teams ready to give him a first-base job in the hopes of receiving a more representative version of himself,” Passan wrote.
Paul Goldschmidt could have more interest than Cardinals expected
In a new context, Goldschmidt may argue that last season was a fluke offensively. With a different strategy – and a less poisonous one, for that matter – Goldschmidt is more likely to raise his averages by a significant margin. Even if he isn’t the NL MVP candidate that St. Louis fans have come to expect, he’s certainly worth taking a chance on a cheap contract.
The one caveat for any prospective suitors is that, at this juncture in his career, Goldschmidt would most likely want to play for a winning team. The Cardinals also extended Goldschmidt a qualifying offer, which may limit his suitors, particularly those with a young club who want to add through the MLB Draft.
The Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees, who declined Anthony Rizzo’s option, might be interesting suitors. However, Goldschmidt is expected to wait out the market, as additional interest is likely to surface once some of the main players have exited.
