Gradual declines are a thing. Steep drop-offs are as well. For New York Yankees star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, he could prove both to be well in the distance for him after suffering a down 2024 campaign.
Paul Goldschmidt could return to MVP form on Yankees
It was just two seasons ago that Goldschmidt took home the 2022 National League MVP award with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was ultra-efficient with a .317/.404/.578 slash line and a National League-leading .981 OPS.
He’s since seen his batting average fall to .268 in 2023 and a career-low .245 last season. Goldschmidt’s on-base percentage also dipped by over 10 percent from 2022 to 2024 and his slugging percentage fell by over 16 percent.
Nevertheless, his most recent output, also accentuated by his 70 runs, 22 home runs, and 65 RBIs offers hope that he can turn the tide and flirt with being a 100-30-100 performer once again in 2025. He was connecting on pitches ferociously with a 49.6 percent hard-hit percentage (92nd percentile), which proves that he still has power in his arms.