Low-risk, high reward.
That’s why the ESPN Insider David Schoenfield gave the New York Yankees a “B,” for signing former MVP Paul Goldschmidt to a 1-year, $12.5 million contract.
“As they say, there’s no such thing as a bad one-year contract, and I like the New York Yankees bringing in Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal at a very reasonable price — even if it’s for his age-37 season while coming off the worst year of his career,” Schoenfield wrote.
He concedes that Goldschmidt is going into his age 37 season and coming off the worst season of his potentially Hall of Fame career. Still, Schoenfield argues, even at his worst Goldschmidt is an upgrade over what the Yankees got from their first basemen last season.
He hit .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs in 154 games in his final season with the Cardinals, for just 1.3 WAR. It was the lowest average, lowest on-base percentage, and slugging percentage of his career.
The Yankees, however, got the least offensive production out of first base last season of all 30 teams in baseball. Their first basemen – they played four there because Anthony Rizzo missed significant time with injuries – hit just .216/.284/.335 with 16 home runs in 2024, the lowest OPS in the majors.
There is reason to believe Goldschmidt could rebound this season. He still ranked in the top to 92nd percentile in hard-hit rate and his bat speed was in the top 60th percentile. He was also much better in last season’s second half with a .799 OPS.
There is always a risk, of course, when you sign a player at the tail-end of his career. Goldschmidt will be 38 in September and he has never actually played in an atmosphere like the Bronx.