Has Paul Goldschmidt finally turned the corner for the Cardinals?

It hasn't exactly been a pretty start for Paul Goldschmidt.

The 36-year-old slugger and former MVP is hitting just .206 with four home runs and 15 RBI. He also has a lousy .591 OPS. His struggles have played a key role in the Cardinals' slow start. There are other reasons too, but if the Cardinals want to get going, they need Goldschmidt to be at his best.

However, he's been at his best over the past five games. Heading into his final at-bat on Saturday against the Brewers, he was 0 for his last 32, but all of that seemed to change with one swing. He had a base hit to cap off his night and followed it up with a two-hit game in the finale, which included a home run.

Goldy also homered last night to get the Cardinals on the board, and while it couldn't save them from a loss, it is fair to wonder if maybe Goldschmidt has finally turned the corner.

Has Goldschmidt turned the corner?

Based on his last five games, you could make a case that Goldschmidt has finally figured it out, and this is good news for the Cardinals as far as turning their season around goes. They're going to need him at his best if that's what they plan on doing.

Unfortunately, it still seems like the Cardinals are going to be punting on 2024 at the deadline, and that means trading away some pieces, even Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. But if Goldschmidt stays hot, the Cardinals can get a haul for him and jumpstart what could be a very fast rebuilding period.

Of course, everyone will prefer if the Cardinals actually get hot and stay hot, turning their season around and playing up to their potential, which could set them up to be buyers at the deadline.

But the point is, Goldschmidt appears to be heating up. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, Goldschmidt will need to stay hot. The Cardinals need him if they're going to be contenders and make a push for the playoffs. But if they're not in it, they need him to remain hot so he can boost his trade value and get them a massive haul in return when the time comes to deal him.

As of now, it looks like he has turned the corner, and we'll see if he can keep it up.