Renowned veteran hitter and former MVP Paul Goldschmidt has reached an agreement with the New York Yankees on a one-year contract worth $12.5 million, as announced by the team on Monday.
In his most recent season with the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt experienced a decline in performance at the plate. Throughout 154 games, he posted a batting line of .245/.302/.414 (98 OPS+) with 22 home runs. Despite this, Goldschmidt had a standout year in 2023, securing his first MVP title as a Cardinal.
Although aging at 37, Goldschmidt still possesses the ability to make solid contact with the ball, a skill the Yankees are counting on to outweigh his increasing strikeout rate. Expected to fill the first base position, Goldschmidt will be replacing fellow free agent Anthony Rizzo following a disappointing 2024 season.
In CBS Sports’ recent rankings of free agents, Goldschmidt was placed at No. 43. The analysis highlighted his changing performance metrics and predicted a potential decline in his overall output.
Heading into the 2025 season, Goldschmidt holds a career OPS+ of 139, 362 home runs, and a WAR of 62.8. While he remains a candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame in the future, Goldschmidt’s immediate focus is on making a strong comeback in the upcoming season.
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