Ex-Cardinals Slugger Could Sign With Giants After Disappointing 2024 Season

Could the Cardinals slugger bolt for San Francisco?

Sep 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder Paul Goldschmidt (46) plays his position against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are doing things a bit differently this offseason. Instead of looking to improve their Major League roster, they are instead trying to rebuild and will look to cut payroll.

One way they can cut payroll is to let slugger Paul Goldschmidt walk. That ultimately seems likely at this point. Goldschmidt is a free agent, and the Cardinals have made no effort to re-sign him.

There are several teams that could use his bat and veteran clubhouse presence in 2025. One team that could be a fit for Goldschmidt is the San Francisco Giants. Jim Bowden of The Athletic linked San Francisco to the slugger.

"It might depend on which teams lose out on Alonso and Walker in free agency and whether Goldschmidt is willing to accept a part-time, platoon-type role. Age and decline have caught up with him. But he could be a solid fit with the Mariners, Giants or Yankees in a platoon role, depending on how successful those teams are in improving at first base this winter," Bowden wrote.

Goldschmidt had a disappointing season with the Cardinals in 2024. He hit 22 home runs with 65 RBI but had a lackluster .245 average and a .716 OPS, which was several steps back from his MVP season in 2022.

The Cardinals only won four playoff games while Goldschmidt was a member of the team and they have yet to win a postseason series since 2019, his first year with the team.

It will be interesting to see where he signs this winter.

More MLB: Ex-Cardinals 34-Home Run Slugger Predicted To Sign With Pirates