Cardinals $130 Million Star To Leave St. Louis Ending Six-Year Stint

St. Louis will have to find a way to replace the superstar

Sep 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first base Paul Goldschmidt (46) in the dug out before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It sounds like the St. Louis Cardinals will be making a change at the first base position this winter.

St. Louis has been solidified at first base over the last six years after bringing in star slugger Paul Goldschmidt. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks but was traded to St. Louis ahead of the 2019 campaign.

Since then, he has been everything the Cardinals hoped for. The 2024 season wasn't his best, but he has been a star. Goldschmidt won the 2022 National League Most Valuable Player Award as a member of St. Louis.

There has been a lot of chatter about his future, with free agency looming. It's been a toss-up about what the club would decide to do, but it sounds like a decision has been made. The Cardinals reportedly will part ways with Goldschmidt this winter, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to part ways with seven-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt at the end of the season, multiple league sources tell The Athletic," Woo said. "Goldschmidt, a seven-time All-Star and 2022 National League MVP, has spent the last six seasons with St. Louis. His five-year, $130 million contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

"With the Cardinals planning to transition to a reset in 2025, the organization decided to move on from one of their franchise faces. Goldschmidt, 37, struggled this season. Entering play ahead of Sunday’s season finale, Goldschmidt’s .245 average, .412 slugging percentage, and .713 OPS are the lowest marks of his Cardinals tenure."

Although there has been speculation about this, it still is a big deal. Goldschmidt has been an organization cornerstone, but now he is expected to leave this winter. How will St. Louis respond this winter? At this point, it's unclear what will happen, and now more changes could be on the way.

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