Yankees Logical Suitor For Cardinals $130 Million Star According To Latest Prediction

Would the St. Louis veteran shine under New York's bright lights?

Sep 23, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) signs autographs prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals offseason forecast is foggy, as many wonder what the front office means by saying they plan to reduce payroll this winter.

Obviously, players with expensive contracts will be shopped but it's yet to be decided whether St. Louis will look to make any significant free agency additions.

A Cardinals impending free agent's future with the club is likely over, making him a would-be viable offseason acquisition for the only franchise with more World Series wins than St. Louis.

"Father Time hasn’t been kind to (Anthony) Rizzo both from a production and reliability standpoint of late, putting the (New York) Yankees in position to take on the $6M buyout in favor of a $17M salary next season," Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti wrote Tuesday when discussing his predictions for several notable options this offseason. "PREDICTION: DECLINED."

If Ginnitti's prediction comes to fruition, the Yankees will need a solid first baseman they can rely on -- making four-time Gold Glove defender Paul Goldschmidt a logical option.

Goldschmidt has batted .289 with 831 extra-base hits including 362 home runs, 1187 RBIs and a .891 OPS throughout his illustrious 14-year career between his time playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cardinals.

Despite enduring the worst season of his career at the plate in 2024, Goldschmidt is only two years removed from winning National League MVP and is motivated to win a World Series before he retires.

Signing the 37-year-old could have tremendous upside if Goldschmidt only needs a change of scenery. For the last two seasons, St. Louis has regressed and joining a winning culture such as the Yankees could reignite the five-time Silver Slugger's bat.

With Goldschmidt's stock collapsing after floundering the past two seasons, the Yankees could likely acquire the seven-time All-Star for a reasonable price -- not that it matters much for the richest team in baseball. The 27-time World Series champions would be wise to consider giving Goldy a shot as their first baseman for 2025.

More MLB: Could Mets Pursue Blockbuster For Cardinals $75 Million Star This Winter?