Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is set to return to the New York Yankees on a one-year deal, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. While the Yankees have not officially confirmed the signing, it marks a continuation of the 38-year-old’s long and decorated Major League career, as he seeks to build on his first season in the Bronx.
Goldschmidt’s Career Marked by Awards, Consistency, Durability, and Longstanding MLB Excellence
Goldschmidt has spent 15 years establishing himself as one of baseball’s most accomplished hitters. A seven-time All-Star, he has earned five Silver Slugger Awards, four Gold Gloves at first base, and captured the 2022 National League MVP Award. Entering the 2025 season, he ranked among active players near the top in key offensive categories, including doubles, RBIs, home runs, runs scored, hits, and position-player WAR, highlighting his consistent production over more than a decade.
Paul Goldschmidt (MLB)Durability has been a hallmark of Goldschmidt’s career. Since fracturing his hand on a hit-by-pitch in 2014, he avoided the injured list for 11 consecutive seasons and accumulated 1,611 games played from 2015 through 2025, the most of any player in the Majors. Even so, his 145 games last season represented one of his lowest totals outside the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Goldschmidt Faces Inconsistent Performance, Adjusts Approach While Aiming For Yankees Impact
Performance-wise, Goldschmidt has faced challenges since his MVP campaign. After posting a .716 OPS and league-average metrics with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, he signed with the Yankees and delivered similar results in 2025, finishing with a .731 OPS, 104 OPS+, and 1.2 bWAR. Yet beneath the surface, his season was uneven. He started hot, hitting .889 OPS through May, but struggled the remainder of the year. Splits revealed dominance against left-handed pitching but persistent struggles against righties, as well as a stark contrast between road success and difficulties at Yankee Stadium.
Statcast data shows a shift in Goldschmidt’s approach. He sacrificed some power for better contact, leading to a reduction in strikeouts from 173 to 100 but also a drop in home runs from 22 to 10, including just two after June 19. Analysts expect further adjustments as he looks to balance power and consistency in 2026.
With his experience, resilience, and adaptability, Goldschmidt enters the upcoming season aiming to refine his approach and remain a productive contributor for the Yankees, proving that even in the later stages of his career, he can still impact the lineup at first base.
