Former St. Louis Cardinals MVP returns to pinstripes after offseason slog

Former Cardinals first baseman and 2022 National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt has signed a free-agent deal with the New York Yankees. The deal has not been finalized as of this writing, but FOX Sports believes it is likely to be a one-year deal for $5 million at most. Having played with the Yankees last season, Goldschmidt will remain in the Bronx as he hopes to capture a World Series title towards the end of his big league career.

Goldschmidt, a likely Hall of Famer, will be entering his 16th season. He spent his first eight years as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks before being traded to the Cardinals. Following the trade, Goldschmidt spent six years in St. Louis, winning the aforementioned MVP in 2022. That said, the Cardinals underwhelmed during his tenure, getting eliminated in the Wild Card round three straight seasons (2020-2022) after making the National League Division Series in Goldschmidt’s first season with the team.

Despite their struggles, Goldschmidt certainly held up his end of the bargain. He accumulated 22.9 WAR in those six seasons, including 7.7 in 2022. Although he was criticized for a bit of a decline in 2024, he still hit 22 home runs in what was his age-36 season. In six seasons for the Cardinals, Goldschmidt finished with 153 home runs, 179 doubles, 477 RBIs and a .278 batting average. Especially considering the shortened 2020 season, these make for impressive averages. Over six seasons in St. Louis, Goldschmidt averaged 25.5 home runs, 29.8 doubles and 79.5 RBIs.

Although Goldschmidt’s power numbers certainly took a hit in 2025, he returned to form as a contact hitter after posting the worst batting average of his career (.245) in 2024. Goldschmidt will be continue to be a valuable veteran presence in the locker room in addition to a timely hitter and experienced defender. Although his defense has declined with age, the former four-time Gold Glove winner was used in plenty of scenarios as a defensive replacement for the Yankees last season.

As Goldschmidt continues his career away from St. Louis, Cardinals fans will root him on from afar. With many great memories in mind, fans can’t help but wish things would have worked out better for the team during his tenure. Nevertheless, it’d be heartwarming to see an exceptional human being and all-time player like Paul Goldschmidt lift a World Series trophy, even if it isn’t with the Cardinals.