Giants Listed As Possible Fit For Cardinals $12 Million Former MVP

The Giants could steal a former MVP away from St. Louis.

Jul 14, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco Giants hat and glove on the bench against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a transition phase, which means they are looking to take a step back from contention in 2025. They likely won't be active in the free agent market and will instead look to cut payroll.

Early in the offseason, it was confirmed by Katie Woo of The Athletic that Paul Goldschmidt would not be returning to St. Louis for 2025. The Cardinals have also confirmed that Willson Contreras will be their first baseman in 2025, ending any hope of a reunion with the former MVP.

However, Robert Murray of FanSided believes that Goldschmidt may ultimately end up with the San Francisco Giants this winter.

"Goldschmidt might not be the MVP-caliber bat he was just a couple of years ago, there's a lot to like from a Giants perspective. The 22 home runs Goldschmidt hit this past season would've been tied for second on the team. The .839 OPS against left-handed pitching he had would've ranked among the club leaders as well. To top it all off, he has a 1.015 OPS in 84 games in San Francisco over the course of his career. He sees the ball incredibly well at what's widely viewed as a pitcher's park," Murray wrote.

Goldschmidt had a rough season in 2024, slashing .245/.302/.414 with an underwhelming .716 OPS. Though he hit 22 home runs, he was far from the player he was in 2022 when he was the National League MVP.

He could potentially bounce back in San Francisco though. The Giants look to be in win-now mode, and adding a veteran presence like Goldschmidt could give them a better chance to contend.

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