Cardinals Superstar Projected To Receive $21.2 Million Qualifying Offer This Winter

Will St. Louis retain the veteran slugger?

Sep 25, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt (46) waits to bat against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals need to start looking ahead to the offseason now that the 2024 season is a loss after being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

The Cardinals offseason agenda is full with several key decisions to make that could alter the franchise's direction for years to come.

Arguably, the most critical decision this winter is whether to re-sign a Cardinals fan favorite who will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his illustrious career.

"Having never before reached the open market, Goldschmidt is eligible to receive a qualifying offer of $21.2 million on a one-year deal," Belleville News-Democrat's Jeff Jones wrote Friday morning. "If he were to accept, he would return to the Cardinals at that price tag. If he declined the offer and signed elsewhere, the Cardinals would receive draft pick compensation in return."

Goldschmidt is batting .246 with 52 extra-base hits including 21 home runs, 60 RBIs and a .715 OPS in 146 games played for the Cardinals this season.

The 37-year-old has played much better post-All-Star break but overall, this year has been Goldschmidt's worst at the plate.

Given that the Cardinals already have slugger Alec Burleson and rising star Luken Baker to supplant Goldschmidt at first base, re-signing him isn't as big of a priority as it might've seemed at the beginning of the season.

However, the five-time Silver Slugger is ending 2024 on a positive note, making it all the more difficult for St. Louis to move on from Goldschmidt and invest in the future.

Considering that Goldschmidt has only recorded one playoff win since joining the Cardinals during the 2018 offseason, it might be time for St. Louis to try someone else out at first base. We'll have to wait and see if the front office values emotion over evidence this winter.

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