The New York Yankees continued their busy offseason on Saturday, agreeing to a one-year, $12.5 million deal with 2022 National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network.
Goldschmidt, a 37-year-old first baseman, brings an impressive résumé that includes four Gold Glove awards from his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals. While his 2024 performance was below his usual standards — posting a .716 OPS with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs — he remains a valuable asset, particularly against left-handed pitching in Yankee Stadium.
Earlier in the week, the Yankees acquired outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs, and Goldschmidt’s addition signals a likely shift for Bellinger to a primary outfield role. The Yankees could also opt for a platoon between the two former MVPs, depending on their performance.
Kiley McDaniel of ESPN highlighted Goldschmidt’s underlying metrics, noting that his expected weighted on-base percentage (.333) was higher than his actual wOBA (.310), suggesting some misfortune in his 2024 campaign. Additionally, Goldschmidt showed progress by lowering his strikeout rate in the latter half of the season, a positive sign for 2025.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Yankees had remained focused on securing a first baseman even after the Bellinger trade. They explored options like Christian Walker, who ultimately signed with Houston, and Carlos Santana before zeroing in on Goldschmidt.
Goldschmidt’s career achievements — including 362 home runs, 1,187 RBIs, a .289 batting average, seven All-Star selections, and five Silver Slugger Awards over 14 seasons — put him in the conversation for the Hall of Fame if he rebounds in 2025. He was initially traded to St. Louis in December 2018 in a deal with Arizona that included Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andrew Young, and a draft pick.
This move is part of a flurry of activity for the Yankees, who have aggressively revamped their roster after missing out on free agent Juan Soto, who chose a record-setting 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets over the Yankees’ $760 million offer.
In addition to Goldschmidt, the Yankees signed left-hander Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, traded for Brewers closer Devin Williams, and re-signed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga. They also dealt backup catcher Jose Trevino to the Reds for catcher Alex Jackson and reliever Fernando Cruz, while trading Carlos Narvaez to the Red Sox for pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and future considerations.
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