According to STL Today, the St. Louis Cardinals want to give first baseman Paul Goldschmidt another chance.
Paul Goldschmidt has struggled in 2024, but the St. Louis Cardinals do not appear ready to part ways with the future Hall of Fame first baseman just yet. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (paid subscription required), the Cardinals will speak with Goldschmidt after the season to determine his interest in a new contract.
Goldschmidt, who is in the final year of a five-year contract, is on track for a career-worst season, which should not come as a surprise given his age of 36. He presently has a.232 hitting average and an OPS+ of 90, and Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has shifted him as low as the sixth batter on some days.
Despite Goldschmidt’s problems, the Cardinals appear to believe he can still be an impact hitter for the team, although in a lower position. If the Cardinals wish to re-sign Goldschmidt before he enters free agency, they may only reduce his compensation by 20%, which means Goldschmidt’s minimum salary in 2025 will be $17.6 million. Of again, if the Cardinals wait until the free agency period and enable Goldschmidt to negotiate contracts with other teams, the Cardinals and Goldschmidt may be able to reach an agreement that does not need him to meet this condition.
If the Cardinals want to contend in 2025, the best move would be to let Goldschmidt become a free agency and see if he is ready to accept a wage cut greater than 20%. If Goldschmidt wants to stay in St. Louis and compete for a championship, he would accept a lower contract so the Cardinals could spend more money elsewhere to enhance the team.
The Cardinals appear determined to see Goldschmidt conclude his career with the birds on his bat. Alec Burleson appears to be the Cardinals’ future first baseman, but if Goldschmidt can be persuaded to play in a platoon with Burleson — despite his struggles, Goldschmidt still has an.804 OPS against left-handers — he could be an excellent secondary piece next season, filling the same role that Cardinals legend Albert Pujols did in 2022.
