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4 players the St. Louis Cardinals need to extend soon
By Josh Jacobs
Paul Goldschmidt
This should also come as no surprise to anyone, as Paul Goldschmidt has followed up his 2022 National League Most Valuable Player performance with another elite season so far.
Goldschmidt is slashing .302/.400/.527 with a 154 wRC+, 7 home runs, and 23 RBI while on pace for over an 8 WAR season, which would be better than his 2022 clip. Goldschmidt will be turning 36 in Septemeber, but he's showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
By all indications, Goldschmidt loves being a Cardinal and would welcome finishing his career as one. His contract does end after the 2024 season though. The Cardinals should begin those conversations this season or next offseason, looking to add another one or two years onto his deal to ensure he remains a Cardinal. Goldschmidt should be able to continue to play first base for the club for the next few seasons, but could even move into more of a DH role if needed.
Goldschmidt is likely a future Hall of Famer and has proven year after year that he knows what it takes to succeed at a high level. Extending older players can get you into trouble, but assuming Goldschmidt isn't going to be asking for a long-term deal or an insanely high AAV, working to keep him in St. Louis beyond 2024 is a must.