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george castillo
multiple authors
first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and this New York Yankees Sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Friday that a one-year contract is being finalized, allowing the two sides to reunite after one season.
38-year-old Goldschmidt is expected to support ben rice Start games at first base and primarily against left-handed pitchers. The seven-time All-Star finished last season hitting .274/.328/.403 with a heavy split in 146 games, posting a .981 OPS in 168 plate appearances against lefties and a .619 OPS in 366 plate appearances against righties.
Goldschmidt will be the sixth player the Yankees re-sign from last season’s team cody bellinger, Trent Grisham, Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough And Paul Blackburn. New York has not yet signed a free agent to a major league contract from another club. Other moves include adding a left-handed player Ryan Weathers and selecting a right-handed player cad winquest In the draft of Rule 5.
Goldschmidt began 2025 as the Yankees’ everyday first baseman after signing a one-year, $12 million deal to be part of the team’s recovery plan following the losing season. juan soto till mets.
Although, by midseason, he was in a platoon role in the second half, Rice established himself in his second season and started against right-handed pitchers.
Goldschmidt finished the season with 169 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) against left-handers, good for fourth in the majors. But his 74 wRC+ against righties ranked 148th among 155 players. Seven of his 10 homers came against lefties.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone and the players consistently praised Goldschmidt for his professionalism, leadership and clubhouse presence. Goldschmidt, a six-time top-10 MVP finisher St. Louis Cardinals And Arizona Diamondbacksworked with Rice at first base, and gave the young teammate tips on improving the position he barely played in before his rookie season in 2024.
The Yankees entered the postseason with a timeshare at first base, but Goldschmidt was moved to a reserve role after Game 1 of the wild-card series. boston red sox. He came off the bench in four of the next five games and did not start again until Game 4 of the ALDS, when the Yankees lost. toronto blue jays.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP, arrived in New York in 2024 after recording career lows in batting average (.245), on-base percentage (.302), slugging percentage (.414) and OPS (.716) with the Cardinals.
His first year in the Bronx was good enough for the Yankees to relegate him to a lesser role for his 16th major league season.
As things stand, the Yankees have five options for four bench spots with spring training less than a week away: Goldschmidt, catcher jesse escarraoutfielder jason dominguezand utilityman Rosario and Osvaldo Cabrera.
