Inside The Cardinals

Insider Predicts Cardinals Gold Glover Could Reunite With Former Club This Winter

Will St. Louis retain the fan favorite this offseason?

Nate Hagerty

Jun 11, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium as the St. Louis Cardinals plays the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Jun 11, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium as the St. Louis Cardinals plays the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Cardinals have a busy offseason ahead as they look to reverse the organization's downward trend over the last few seasons.

With multiple pending contracts to decide on this winter, the Cardinals could be a very different team in 2025. The last two seasons of missing the playoffs have taken their toll on St. Louis' fan base and it might be time for change.

The most significant change possibly coming to the Cardinals roster next season involves a superstar who will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his illustrious career.

"Arizona (Diamondbacks) first baseman Christian Walker is also set to reach free agency this winter, so an opportunity might exist for (Paul) Goldschmidt to return to the team with which he began his career," Belleville News-Democrat's Jeff Jones wrote Friday when discussing what will happen to the Cardinals first baseman this offseason.

Goldschmidt was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2009. He spent the first eight seasons of his career there until being traded to St. Louis in Dec. 2018 in exchange for catcher Carson Kelly, right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, and infielder Andy Young.

Since joining the Cardinals, Goldschmidt has recorded only one playoff win -- during the 2020 COVID-19-restricted season in the National League Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres.

After enduring the worst season of his career at the plate in 2024, re-signing Goldschmidt for another season doesn't seem as appealing as it might've been before.

The 2022 NL MVP could receive a one-year qualifying offer from the Cardinals but the club's intentions for Goldschmidt haven't been officially announced.

If Goldschmidt can't win another playoff game for St. Louis, perhaps he'll return to Arizona this winter, where he has a legitimate shot at being part of a World Series championship team.

More MLB: Cardinals All-Star Hurler Could Be Out For Rest Of Season After Recent Flare-Up

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Nate Hagerty

NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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