Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt agree to 1-year deal, sources say
Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning at Nationals Park on July 8, 2024. Credit: Getty Images
The Yankees have their first baseman in Paul Goldschmidt, who has a shot at a bounce-back year after a tough season in St. Louis.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP, has agreed to a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Yankees pending a physical, according to multiple sources. The seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner will anchor an infield that got little offensive production from first base last season.
The move was first reported by YES Network’s Jack Curry.
Goldschmidt, 37, still has some pop: Although he compiled a relatively modest slash line of .245/.302/.414 last season, he had 22 homers and 65 RBIs in 154 games.
In his MVP season of 2022, he hit .317/.404/.578 with 35 homers and 115 RBIs. His slugging percentage and .981 OPS led the National League.
Goldschmidt has a career slash line of .289/.381/.510 for an .892 OPS and has 362 home runs and 1,187 RBIs in 14 seasons. His 62.8 bWAR is third among active players behind Mike Trout and Mookie Betts and first among all first basemen.
The move also solidifies Cody Bellinger’s role. Bellinger, an excellent defensive outfielder, also can play first base well and had told Aaron Boone that he is willing to play anywhere as needed.
“How he’s deployed is yet to be determined,” general manager Brian Cashman said of Bellinger after obtaining him from the Cubs. “Whether it’s outfield, whether it’s first base, it depends on how the winter plays out . . . We’re in a better position now with Cody’s addition that it gives us some flexibility not to be picky and choosy as much as be protected.”
The Goldschmidt addition should more or less settle that, with Bellinger playing centerfield, Aaron Judge back in rightfield and, presumably, Jasson Dominguez in left.
According to a March 2023 story in The Athletic, Judge and Goldschmidt — the reigning MVPs at the time — worked out together in Florida in January 2023. They already had a relationship before Goldschmidt suggested getting together, and the workout's agenda, the story said, was to ''discuss and demonstrate methods to further terrorize opposing pitchers.''
Judge said in The Athletic story: “He’s one of the best in the game. He’s had a fantastic career so far. When you get to spend some time with a guy like that, see what their approach is, what they think about in certain situations, it’s a special time.”
All of this is part of a flurry of moves the Yankees have made since losing out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes. They signed starter Max Fried to the largest contract ever awarded to a lefthanded pitcher, traded for lights-out reliever Devin Williams to be their closer, traded for Bellinger and agreed to terms with Goldschmidt. They also sent backup catcher Jose Trevino to the Reds in exchange for reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
