Paul Goudschmidt isn’t ready to hang up its nails yet. When speaking with Jon Heyman of the New York Postthe first baseman said simply, “I love playing,” indicating he plans to return for what would be his 16th major league season in 2026.
Goldschmidt, who turned 38 in September, is a seven-time All Star and one of the best first basemen of his generation. He has hit .288/.378/.504 in his career, good for a 137 wRC+ and a 63.8 bWAR, which ranks seventh among all active players. His 372 home runs and 1,232 RBI rank third and second, respectively, among active hitters. Goldschmidt excelled in his eight years with the Diamondbacks before being traded to the Cardinals prior to the 2019 season. He continued to perform well in St. Louis, winning the NL MVP Award in 2022 after posting a .317/.404/578 batting line with 35 home runs and 115 RBI in 151 games in his age-34 season.
His offensive numbers have declined since then. After posting a 175 wRC+ in his MVP season, that number dropped to 122 in 2023 and 100 in 2024 – essentially league average. The Cardinals did not re-sign him in free agency, and he ultimately landed with the Yankees on a one-year, $12.5 million pact. In 534 plate appearances across 146 games, Goldschmidt hit .274/.328/.403 and once again finished at the league average with a 103 wRC+. Interestingly, after seeing his power numbers decline over the past two years with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt took a more contact-heavy approach at the plate in 2025. He lowered his strikeout rate from 26.5% to 18.7% and connected on 86.0% of pitches in the strike zone, down from 79.8% in 2024.
This new approach led to some initial success, as Goldschmidt hit .338 in 232 at-bats through the end of May and posted a 148 wRC+. However, he then hit just .143 in 94 at-bats in June. While he rebounded to hit .261 from July through the end of the year, that was good for just an 87 wRC+. As the year went on, Goldschmidt gave up more playing time Ben Riceand he ultimately started only two of his six games played in the postseason before the Yankees were eliminated by the Blue Jays. All told, Goldschmidt was worth a career-low 0.8 fWAR in 2025.
Despite his offensive decline, Goldschmidt’s defense has been serviceable this year. In 1,029 innings at first base, he was rated at -1 Defensive Runs Saved, tied for ninth among qualified first basemen, and -3 Outs Above Average, which ranked 13th. Statcast rated his contributions more negatively, giving him a Fielding Run Value of the 33rd percentile. Defensive metrics are notoriously tricky, of course, and indeed, the numbers on Goldschmidt have fluctuated throughout his career. At the very least, he provided a steady presence for the Yankees in the cold corner after his testimony Anthony Rizzo‘s concussion and age-related decline over the previous two seasons.
Overall, Goldschmidt expects to have a tougher time in the market than last offseason. His age will limit him to another one-year deal, and it’s questionable whether teams will continue to view him as a starter given his now mediocre offense. First basemen tend to be strong hitters, and in 2025 they posted a combined 109 wRC+, while Goldschmidt was rated at 103 wRC+. His increased contact could provide some optimism, but it’s also likely he’s simply declining due to his age. However, he was able to find success in a platoon role. In 168 plate appearances against lefties this year, Goldschmidt hit .336/.411/.570 with a strikeout rate of just 11.3%, good for a 169 wRC+. If a team could minimize his exposure to same-hand pitchers, he could find more sustained success over the course of a season.
As it stands now, the free agent class of first basemen is led by Pete Alonso And Josh Naylorwith names like Ryan O’Hearn, Luis ArraezAnd Jos Bell form the second level. Alonso is the best option on offense, while O’Hearn might be the best defenseman of the bunch, as he was rated at 4 DRS and 6 OAA as a first baseman during the regular season. Goldschmidt would be a solid platoon player and a useful defenseman for those who miss out on Alonso and Naylor, so he could sign a one-year deal with a lower guarantee than his deal with the Yankees.
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