Cardinals Implored 'To Move On' From Fan Favorite Amid Uncertain Rebuild Timeline

St. Louis will likely part ways with the veteran slugger this winter

Jul 14, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) walks off the field during a rain delay during the bottom of the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have several significant roster decisions to make this offseason as they piece together their rebuilding plans.

The Cardinals are a youth-laden team that could take a few seasons to click and holding onto veterans with expensive contracts would likely hinder rebuilding efforts.

Nobody wants to endure growing pains but they're necessary for a struggling organization, such as St. Louis, to move forward. Sadly, the Cardinals will likely have to part ways with a fan favorite this upcoming offseason.

"Paul Goldschmidt's performance has declined since his 2022 MVP season and with free agency looming, it's time for the Cardinals to move on," Sports Grid's writing staff wrote Friday morning. "The Cardinals should shift their focus to their young talent, including players like Nolan Gorman and Masyn Winn," Sports Grid's writing staff continued. "The young core is in place and investing in their development while freeing up payroll space will help the Cardinals build for the future."

Goldschmidt's regression over the last few seasons has sunk to depths that make him a liability for the Cardinals and the youth movement they're preparing to invest in.

The 37-year-old endured the worst season of his career at the plate in 2024 and who knows if next season will be any different for the five-time Silver Slugger.

Regardless, Goldschmidt's projected qualifying offer of $21.2 million is far too high for a club looking to reduce payroll. Besides, St. Louis already has a solid par of first basemen to replace the four-time Gold Glove defender -- Alec Burleson and Luken Baker.

Although not impossible, it's unlikely the Cardinals re-sign Goldschmidt this winter. After a memorable six-year stint with St. Louis, it might be time for the seven-time All-Star to hit the free-agent market for the first time in his illustrious career.

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