Paul Goldschmidt
Paul Goldschmidt joined the Cardinals in the 2018 offseason, and since then he has done nothing but help the Cardinals win. He won the National League Most Valuable Player in 2022, and he has been foundational at first base. He will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.
There was some smoke regarding Paul Goldschmidt's availability at the Trade Deadline this past year, but John Mozeliak held on to his prized first baseman. Ultimately, Goldy has the final say in any potential trades given his no-trade clause. This limits Mozeliak's freedom with whom he can deal. Should Mo strike a deal on paper with a team that Goldy doesn't want to play for, he can block the trade and hamper Mozeliak's ability to make a trade.
During his tenure in St. Louis, Paul Goldschmidt has slashed .293/.377/.512 for an OPS+ of 145. He is projected to hit .281/.365/.491 in 2024, statistics close enough to his average in St. Louis and statistics that are stellar for a thirty-six-year-old player. Goldy could have a 4.0-bWAR season should things go as planned next year.
Trading Goldschmidt this offseason would be challenging due to his no-trade clause, but more importantly, trading Goldschmidt removes a talented batter and defender from the lineup. St. Louis is better served keeping him on the roster, and he should be virtually un-tradeable.