Cardinals Fan Favorite Predicted To Sign With Yankees This Winter To Revive Career

St. Louis is moving on from the veteran slugger

Aug 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals might be in the midst of their most painful offseason in recent years as several beloved players could leave for other teams this winter.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is in the final year of his contract. He will focus on providing more opportunities for youngsters while not necessarily building the most competitive big-league roster possible.

Players with expensive price tags will likely be eliminated from the payroll, potentially opening the door for a beloved St. Louis slugger to join the New York Yankees in 2025.

Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was recently listed among the top 40 free agents available this offseason and the New York Yankees were mentioned as one of the best fits for the five-time Silver Slugger, according to The Athletic's recent report written by Tim Britton, Chad Jennings and Aaron Gleeman.

Goldschmidt has regressed at the plate over the three previous seasons. Combined with his age and considerable price tag based on his proven track record, the Cardinals don't have room for Goldy on the rebuilding journey they're embarking on.

The seven-time All-Star batted .245 with 55 extra-base hits including 22 home runs, 64 RBIs and a .713 OPS in 153 games played for the Cardinals this season.

Despite Goldschmidt's poor performance in 2024, he still carries a projected market value of roughly $13 million annually, according to Spotrac. With the Cardinals committed to reducing payroll for 2025, re-signing the four-time Gold Glove defender wouldn't make sense.

Yankee Stadium is known for being home run-friendly, which could help Goldschmidt rejuvenate his career offensively. More importantly, the 37-year-old wants to win a World Series before he retires, and signing with New York would give him a solid chance to do so.

It won't be surprising to see the Yankees take a chance on Goldschmidt this offseason, especially after declining Anthony Rizzo's 2025 club option.

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