The numbers and trends are not encouraging.
Paul Goldschmidt will have “former Most Valuable Player” and “seven-time All-Star” in front of his name for the rest of his life.
Now, though, it is always followed by his advanced baseball age and declining offensive numbers. The New York Yankees, however, can get the most out of the 37-year-old first baseman with some smart management, MLB Network radio analyst Jim Bowden suggested.
“He played too many games,” Bowden said on the Sunday edition of MLB Network’s Front Office show. The Yankees signed Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12 million deal to replace Anthony Rizzo at first base.
Bowden suggested that the Yankees will manage Goldschmidt’s workload better, using Ben Rice, DJ LeMahieu, or Oswaldo Cabrera to start about 30 games.
Goldschmidt would play against all the left-handed starters as a career .323/.424/.568 hitter against lefties. The Yankees would rest him when they face right-handed starters who he struggles against.
Goldschmidt has not played fewer than 151 games in the last four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2024, he played 154 and Bowden thinks that was too much for a player entering his 15th season in the big leagues
After slashing .317/.404/.578 with a career-high .981 OPS with 35 home runs and winning the National League MVP in 2022, Goldschmidt’s numbers have steadily declined. He hit a career-worst .245/.302/.414 with 22 and a career-low .716 OPS in 2024.
Goldschmidt, however, had an encouraging second half. He posted a .799 OPS in the second half (62 games) following a .664 mark in the first half (92 games). According to Baseball Savant Goldschmidt has good exit velocity, hitting nearly half of his batted balls over 95 miles an hour or harder.
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