Astros Among Top Fits To Snatch Cardinals $130 Million Star, Per Insider

Will the Cardinals bring the star back to town this winter?

Mar 28, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of a Houston Astros baseball hat and glove lay in the dugout at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals may end up losing a staple for their offense this upcoming winter.

Chatter and speculation are growing, and soon enough, the Cardinals are going to have to decide whether or not to offer star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt a new contract. He now is 37 years old, and his market value is projected to be roughly $25 million over two years by Spotrac.

That is a very affordable deal, and if that actually ends up being the case, it should be one that the Cardinals seriously consider. He had a down year for his standards, but it still was better than most first basemen out there.

While this is the case, both sides will have to want to continue their partnership. There will be other teams that will have interest, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold mentioned the Houston Astros as a possible option.

"Coin flip," Goold said when asked what the chances are of Goldschmidt returning. "As we've discussed in print and in the chat, the Cardinals are going to approach Goldschmidt after the season to discuss what a return would look like. He'll have to become a free agent first before any agreement could be finalized if that's what he would prefer, if that's what he wants. But if he goes into the market -- and why wouldn't he? -- then he'll get a chance to see what other offers/interests are there. Houston and Arizona are clubs with 1B openings, after all."

Houston was a team that was mentioned as a possible fit around the trade deadline as well when it was unclear if the Cardinals would trade the star first baseman. It's too early to tell, and everything is speculation at this point. While this is the case, hopefully, the two sides can work something out.

More MLB: Yankees All-Star Suggested As Fit If Cardinals Superstar Walks