Cardinals: Why Paul Goldschmidt is a top-30 player in baseball

Paul Goldschmidt has been rated as the No. 32 player in Major League Baseball.

Yesterday, we wrote that St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was rated by MLB Network as the No. 13 player in baseball. Those rankings have continued, as they now rate first baseman Paul Goldschmidt as the No. 32 player in the game, ranking ahead of players such as J.T. Realmuto, Marcell Ozuna, Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler, among others.

Goldschmidt, of course, was acquired by the Cardinals a couple seasons ago in exchange for Luke Weaver, Carson Kelly and infielder Andy Young. The trade has turned out to be a steal for the Cardinals, with Goldschmidt hitting .270/.364/.473 with 40 home runs and 118 RBI in 219 games with the team.

Goldschmidt, 33, is under contract through 2024, as he signed a five-year, $130 million deal with the Cardinals almost immediately after the trade. Combined with Arenado, the two will form what many believe to be the best corner infield duo in baseball. And it will be that way for years to come, as Arenado is also signed long-term and indicated a desire to remain in St. Louis despite having the ability to opt out of his contract after the 2021 season.

While Goldschmidt has not produced numbers similar to what he did with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he remains a critical part of the Cardinals’ success this season. After all, he was the foundational piece in Arizona that the team desperately needed, hitting .297/.398/.532 with 209 home runs and 710 RBI, and provides an elite duo in the Cardinals’ lineup with Arenado.

Goldschmidt could be in for a strong offensive season, considering teams no longer have the luxury of pitching around him. With Arenado in St. Louis, teams will be forced to pitch to Goldschmidt — and it could result in his home run numbers increasing, meaning a Cardinals offense in desperate need of production could get another spark.