Cardinals Confronted With 'Enormous Decision' To Make Regarding Fan Favorite

St. Louis has a lot to think about this winter

Mar 15, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium which is home of the Saint Louis Cardinals. Major League Baseball has postponed the start of the 2020 baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-Imagn Images / Scott Kane-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are at a critical point where they could significantly alter their future depending on how the rest of the season pans out.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak will finish the final year of his contract next season but not before he has to make significant decisions this winter that could impact the franchise for years.

One of those crucial decisions involves a Cardinals fan favorite who could play for another team in 2025 after enduring one of the worst offensive seasons of his career.

"Do the Cardinals bring him (Paul Goldschmidt) back – likely at a reduced rate – or do they go with younger and cheaper options in Alec Burleson and Luken Baker at first base?" MLB.com's John Denton wrote Thursday when talking about players who have the most to prove down the final stretch of the season. "How Goldschmidt, a strong leader off the field and in the clubhouse, finishes the season could play into that enormous decision."

Goldschmidt is batting .247 with 48 extra-base hits including 21 home runs, 58 RBIs and a .721 OPS in 133 games played for the Cardinals this season.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old has been on a tear lately and has dramatically improved his 2024 stats since the start of the second half of the season.

If it weren't for Goldschmidt's recent uptick in performance, there would be no logical reason to re-sign him this offseason, as St. Louis already has Burleson and Baker, who are both ready to take on more career responsibilities.

The seven-time All-Star is doing everything possible to propel the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since his 2022 NL MVP season. Perhaps if he can lead St. Louis back to the postseason this fall, Mozeliak will be more inclined to bring Goldschmidt back for 2025.

More MLB: Cardinals Slugger One Swing Away From Surpassing Yankees Legend's Impressive Record