The New York Yankees are signing free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal as they continue their post-Soto sweepstakes splurge, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Saturday.
Goldschmidt, 37, is a former MVP and seven-time All-Star. He batted a career-low .245 last season with the St. Louis Cardinals, adding 22 home runs and 11 stolen bases.
He won his MVP crown following a stellar season in St. Louis in 2022, putting up .317/.404/.578 batting splits, leading the league with a .981 OPS and 177 OPS+. He added 35 home runs and 115 RBI while helping the Cardinals to a 93-69 record, first in the NL Central.
The Wilmington, De. native is a four-time Gold Glove first baseman and five-time Silver Slugger. Past his MVP title, he finished second in voting twice while playing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013 and 2015, and finished third in 2017.
He joined the Cardinals via trade in 2018 in a deal that sent Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andrew Young and a 2019 competitive balance round B pick to the Diamondbacks.
Over his 14-year career, Goldschmidt has .289/.381/.510 batting splits with 362 home runs, 1187 RBI and 169 stolen bases.
The move for the first baseman marks a productive winter for the Bronx Bombers after losing outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets in a groundbreaking sweepstakes. Goldschmidt is the second former MVP to join the club after they swung a trade with the Chicago Cubs for centre fielder Cody Bellinger.
They also signed star lefty-pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal and traded for two-time reliever of the year Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Yankees had extensive talks with first baseman Christian Walker before he signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Houston Astros. Additionally, they spoke with representatives for first baseman Carlos Santana. However, their sights were set on Goldschmidt.
The Yankees seem primed to contend for another shot at the World Series after losing in five games in the fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They finished last season with a 94-68 record.
