-
Jorge Castillo
Multiple Authors
Sources informed ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Friday that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees are nearing a one-year agreement, bringing them back together after a single season apart.
The 38-year-old Goldschmidt is anticipated to serve as a backup to Ben Rice at first base, mainly starting against left-handed pitchers. Last season, the seven-time All-Star posted a .274/.328/.403 batting line in 146 games, showcasing significant splits: a .981 OPS in 168 plate appearances versus lefties and a .619 OPS against righties in 366 plate appearances.
If finalized, Goldschmidt will be the sixth player the Yankees have re-signed from their previous roster, joining Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough, and Paul Blackburn. The franchise has not yet recruited a free agent from another team for a major league contract. Other recent activities involve acquiring left-hander Ryan Weathers and selecting right-hander Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 draft.
Goldschmidt commenced the 2025 season as the Yankees’ regular first baseman after inking a one-year, $12 million contract, aimed at compensating for Juan Soto’s departure to the Mets.
yet, by midseason, he found himself in a platoon arrangement during the latter half, as Rice solidified his position and secured the starting role against right-handers.
Goldschmidt concluded the season with a 169 Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) against lefties, ranking fourth in the majors, while his 74 wRC+ against righties placed him 148th among 155 players. Seven of his ten home runs were hit against left-handed pitchers.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone and teammates consistently commended Goldschmidt for his professionalism, leadership, and presence in the clubhouse. The six-time top-10 MVP finisher with the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks mentored Rice at first base, offering the young player valuable insights to enhance his skills at a position he had scarcely played prior to his rookie season in 2024.
Entering the postseason with a shared role at first base, Goldschmidt was reassigned to a reserve capacity following Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox. He came off the bench in four of the subsequent five games, not starting again until Game 4 of the ALDS, where the Yankees faced elimination against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2022 National League MVP, Goldschmidt joined New York after experiencing career lows in batting average (.245), on-base percentage (.302), slugging percentage (.414), and OPS (.716) during his 2024 season with the Cardinals.
His inaugural season in the Bronx was impressive enough for the Yankees to retain him for a diminished role in his 16th major league year.
As spring training approaches in less than a week, the Yankees are evaluating five candidates for four bench positions: Goldschmidt, catcher J.C. Escarra, outfielder Jasson Dominguez, and utility players Rosario and Oswaldo Cabrera.
