4 overreactions to the Cardinals' first week of Spring Training games

3. Paul Goldschmidt is washed.

Paul Goldschmidt followed up his 2022 MVP season with a bit of a dud in 2023. He had the lowest batting average of his career outside of his rookie season and in 2019, he had the lowest OPS+ of his career outside of those same years, and his defensive metrics according to Outs Above Average were middle-of-the-pack in 2023.

He is 36 now and heading toward the conclusion of his Hall of Fame-worthy career; it is reasonable to expect regression from the first baseman. The ever-reliable Goldy needs to have an offensive season closer to his career averages of .293/.388/.519 in order to maintain his Hall of Fame career trajectory.

Goldschmidt's spring showing hasn't alleviated any of those concerns. In only 7 at-bats, Goldy has just one hit, a single, and one walk. He has struck out 4 times as well. his .143/.250.143 slash line is abysmal. While 7 at bats is negligible in the grand scheme of things, a decent showing at spring training for the veteran first baseman would put to rest concerns of many fans.

Goldschmidt isn't a player who starts off cold historically. For his career in spring training, he has a .300 average with 23 home runs in 299 games played. While his first and second-half splits for his career are close, he performs better in April through June rather than July through September.

A cold start to Paul Goldschmidt's 2024 campaign doesn't bode well for his personal financial gains or for the team's success. Part of the Cardinals' prowess in 2024 hinges on their All-Star first baseman returning to form next year. Paul Goldschmidt's spring showing hasn't done anything to appease fans, albeit in fewer than 10 at-bats.