Cardinals' reunion with old friend is in peril as Yankees come to town

The St. Louis Cardinals will bear witness to some star power in their upcoming series as Aaron Judge leads the New York Yankees to the Gateway City. But while Judge will earn some applause from the always respectful Cardinals faithful, the player many would have come to see has a strong possibility to be absent from the Yankees' lineup throughout the series.

Paul Goldschmidt may be sidelined for the Cardinals' series against the Yankees.

Several outlets reported in the preceding days that the Yankees were considering placing Goldschmidt on the injured list after he sprained his knee in their game on Tuesday and didn't play in their Wednesday game before their day off on Thursday.

Goldschmidt said that he would not require an IL stint and that he hopes to make it into a game by the end of the weekend, but the Yankees could play it safe with him. The team is clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the American League and may be unwilling to subject Goldschmidt to further injury risk. A token pinch-hit appearance could also be out of the question, as the Yankees may not have the luxury of playing a compromised Goldschmidt in a clutch situation.

Goldschmidt started the season like gangbusters, holding a batting average over .300 through June 19. It appeared that Goldschmidt had found the fountain of youth upon his departure from St. Louis, but in the second half, he has hit only .219 with a .629 OPS. His defense at first base has also suffered, as the four-time Gold Glove Award winner is two outs below average this season.

Although the crowds at Busch Stadium have been far from impressive in 2025, it's likely that the presence of the Yankees will draw more fans than usual, many of whom may have bought tickets to see and applaud Goldschmidt. Despite the Cardinals' ultimately disappointing results during his tenure with the team, Goldschmidt's MVP season in 2022 remains fresh in fans' minds, and the question of whether he deserves a spot in the Cardinals Hall of Fame will be a subject of discussion in future seasons.

It will be a shame if Goldschmidt doesn't play in his first time back at Busch Stadium, and with the 37-year-old not signed past this season, retirement may be on the horizon for the future baseball Hall of Famer. For the sake of the Cardinals and their fans, let's hope they can get a glimpse of Goldschmidt in action before he rides off into the sunset.