The Yankees might have struck gold—literally—with 37-year-old infielder Paul Goldschmidt. It’s still early in the season, but the veteran is already proving to be one of the smartest, most cost-effective signings of the offseason.
Goldy’s Still Got It
Goldschmidt continues to defy Father Time, collecting another three hits on Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers. Even though the Yankees were shut out 5–0, he was one of the lone bright spots.
Over the first 11 games of the season, he’s hitting .381 with a .435 on-base percentage and .500 slugging. He’s got one home run, three RBIs, a 17.4% strikeout rate, and a 6.5% walk rate. His 170 wRC+ suggests he’s been 70% better than the average MLB hitter to start the year.
For a player who managed just 1.1 WAR over 154 games last season, this bounce back has been impressive. Goldschmidt is already nearly halfway to that number and it’s only April.
Contact Over Clout
Goldschmidt has never needed to lead the league in exit velocity to be effective. This year, he ranks in the 74th percentile in whiff rate and the 99th percentile in expected batting average. That means he’s seeing the ball well, staying disciplined, and consistently making quality contact.
He’s not trying to muscle every ball out of the park—he’s simply putting the ball in play and letting the results come naturally. That’s the kind of consistency the Yankees needed to stabilize the middle of the lineup.
A $12.5 Million Steal
The Yankees inked Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal—something that’s looking more like a bargain by the day. With Aaron Judge carrying the power and players like Trent Grisham (lately) and Ben Rice providing spark, Goldschmidt is the quiet force behind the storm.
He’s not making headlines with 450-foot moonshots, but his ability to get on base and grind out tough at-bats is proving invaluable. For a team riddled with injuries in the rotation and bullpen, Goldschmidt’s steady presence at the plate is one of the few things the Yankees can count on right now.
And so far, he’s delivering like it’s 2015 all over again.