The Yankees reportedly agree to it Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year contract. Salary details are unknown, though it is reportedly expected to come in around $5MM or less. The Yankees have a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move once this deal becomes official. Goldschmidt is represented by Excel Sports Management.
It will be Goldschmidt’s second season in the Bronx. The former MVP signed a $12.5MM deal last season to serve as New York’s everyday first baseman. The role will be different this year, as Goldschmidt appears to have been ticketed for the team’s shortstop job. Ben Rice he ate him last season. The left-handed hitting Rice has connected on 26 homers with a .255/.337/.499 batting line in 530 trips to the plate.
Goldschmidt managed just 10 home runs in that same span of play. His .274/.328/.403 slash was better than league average. It came with a surprising amount of variation, both in terms of supply and timing. Goldschmidt started his Yankee career on a tear, hitting .338/.394/.495 with six long balls at the end of May. That dropped to a .226/.277/.333 performance over the final four months of the season. It was the opposite of his 2024 campaign in St. Goldschmidt started that year very slowly before picking it up in the second half.
Between his late season struggles and Rice’s breakout year, the seven-time All-Star lost playing time as the season wore on. The appearance of his plate decreases every month. Goldschmidt will remain in the lineup against left-handed pitching, as he has continued to play southpaws as his numbers against righties have declined. He’s hitting .336/.411/.570 against lefties compared to a .247/.289/.329 mark when he doesn’t catch the team well. Seven of his 10 home runs have come off lefties despite seeing twice as many plate appearances as right-handers.
Rice had seven homers in 119 plate appearances against lefties, but came with a .208 average and a .271 on-base mark. Even if the Yankees don’t want to make him a solid bat, they will spend some of his off days against solid southpaws. Goldschmidt can pick up those at-bats and provide an answer to the designated hitter when it happens. Giancarlo Stanton you miss the time. Left-handed hitting catcher Austin Wells had a lopsided split last season but is a career .218/.282/.360 hitter against southpaws. If the Yankees want to continue to give Rice scattered reps behind the plate, they could protect Wells in lefty and start Goldschmidt at first.
At 38 years old, Goldschmidt is clearly on the decline of what should be a Hall of Fame career, but he can still be productive when put in a limited role. He is also respected off the field and was recently named to the US World Baseball Classic roster for the third time in his career. He clearly made a strong impression on the clubhouse and coaching staff.
The slump of the last season apparently did not bother him to play in the apron again. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that he has transferred some money to other teams to continue in the Bronx. It was reported that the Padres were in the finals as they were still looking for one stick after agreeing on the deal Miguel Andujar. The Diamondbacks spent much of the offseason searching for a leadoff right fielder. Meeting in the desert seemed logical, but it became clear that it would not be possible when the Snakes came to an agreement. Carlos Santana earlier this week.
New York has a lineup that runs back to the left side in general. GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have spoken many times about wanting to add a righty bat for balance. Goldschmidt joins as a utility infielder Amed Rosario as appropriate options off the bench. José Caballero it can also be in that mix if Anthony Volpe he is resuming shortstop duties when he returns from shoulder surgery.
They will handle the left batting JC Escarra as a backup handler. That will leave only one bench Oswaldo Cabrera again Jason Domínguez if everyone goes through the camp healthy. Jon Heyman of The Post wrote Thursday that it appears Domínguez will be optioned to Triple-A to start the season. That’s even more likely with Goldschmidt back, though a Spring Training injury could change the picture.
The salary has not been reported. The Yankees will pay a 110% tax on it as the third CBT payer in the top bracket. RosterResource calculated their competitive balance sheet number at around $330MM prior to this deal. They had a $320MM tax bill last year, leaving them with nearly $62MM in cap space at the end of the season.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported that the Yankees and Goldschmidt were finalizing a deal. Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported that Goldschmidt could make more than $5MM. Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Photos.
