The New York Yankees filled up their first baseman hole by signing 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal. The 37-year-old first baseman is not the same player he once was, but a strong second half with the St. Louis Cardinals last season gives hope that he can return to some semblance of his All-Star self.
Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt could have a resurgence in 2025
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer listed Goldschmidt as a player who can see their career be revived with a new team in 2025. He cited the change to playing home games at Yankee Stadium as a big factor for a potential big season.
“There are real warning signs at play, including an elevated strikeout rate and diminished effectiveness against the fastball. Such things inevitably draw one’s gaze to his age. And yet, Goldschmidt also would have hit 25 home runs if he’d been a Yankee in 2024. A marginal improvement, perhaps, but it might underrate how well he profiles at Yankee Stadium,” Rymer wrote.
Goldschmidt hit just .245 last season and hit 22 home runs, both of which are clear-cut signs of decline hitting him. Age plays a big role in that, which is likely why the Yankees committed to him for the short term with just a one-year deal.
The Yankees could get massive value out of Goldschmidt in 2025
However, there is great boom-or-bust potential with Goldschmidt because of his track record. The former MVP is also a seven-time All-Star with a career batting average of .289, and up until last season was one of the top hitting first basemen in baseball.
The Yankees are certainly taking a risk by having a 37-year-old declining player be their main first baseman. Additionally, they don’t have much insurance at the position behind Goldschmidt, so he will have to make a big enough difference to help New York make another deep run to the playoffs.
With New York losing Juan Soto to the Mets in free agency, the Yankees will be dependent on Goldschmidt to play closer to his MVP form than he did last season. How he performs can make a difference for the Yankees of being either a good team or a great team in 2025.