Paul Goldschmidt could be an All-Star for the Cardinals in 2022

Coming off of his first Gold Glove with the Cardinals, can Paul Goldschmidt finally make his first All-Star team with the Redbirds?

Paul Goldschmidt has been the Cardinals’ best hitter for the past three seasons. As he enters his fourth year in St. Louis, he might finally receive some national recognition for his hitting prowess.

Despite placing sixth in MVP voting last season, Goldschmidt has yet to appear in an All-Star game for the Cardinals. The six-time All-Star has seen his numbers take a slight hit over the years, but he is still putting up incredible counting stats. Last season, he finished with 102 runs scored, 31 home runs, 99 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. Somehow these numbers were not good enough to earn him a spot on the National League All-Star roster.

Goldschmidt’s defense was recognized in 2021. He earned his first Gold Glove in a Cardinals uniform, which gives him four Gold Gloves for his career. While the Cardinals’ defense as a whole was impressive in 2021, this could be the little boost Goldschmidt needs to make his way back onto an All-Star team in 2022.

There will not be 162 games played in 2022, of course, and it remains unclear how many will be played this season, if there are any at all. But in a 162-game season, Yahoo projected Goldschmidt to nearly match his 2021 numbers. The projections have Goldy scoring 99 runs, hitting 30 home runs, plating 92 RBIs, and stealing eight bases. Anyone heading into their 11th full season in the majors would want to have that kind of a projection.

The Cardinals have a plethora of players that could be making their way to the All-Star game in 2022, but none have been as robbed in recent years as Goldschmidt. If he lives up to the projected numbers and stays healthy, he should become an All-Star once again, regardless of how many regular season games are played in 2022.