Despite their best effort, the New York Yankees didn’t win the Juan Soto free agency sweepstakes. They did, however pivot to trading for a former MLB MVP in Cody Bellinger. The Yankees are still determining which position Bellinger will play with his new team, and their latest move could have a direct impact on Bellinger’s position in New York.
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Paul Goldschmidt signs with New York Yankees
Previous reports indicated that if the New York Yankees could acquire a new first baseman, then Cody Bellinger would spend the bulk of his time in the outfield, helping replace Bellinger. If the Yankees don’t add a first baseman, then expect to see a healthy dose of Bellinger at first.
Yet, now that the Yankees have signed seven-time All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Bellinger’s likely stuck in the outfield. The Yankees reportedly struck a one-year contract worth up to $12.5 million with Goldschmidt on Saturday. The only holdup for now is Goldschmidt passing his physical, but considering he played in 154 games this season, that should be an easy test to ace.
The Yankees were far from the only team still believed to be chasing after Goldschmidt. Jon Heyman previously also highlighted the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Goldschmidt has already played for the Diamondbacks and Cardinals, but the 37-year-old still hasn’t won a World Series ring, which may have impacted his decision.
Goldschmidt took a step back as a hitter last season, finishing with the first sub-100 OPS+ of his career while socking 22 home runs and driving in 65 runs. Yet, the four-time Gold Glover can still help teams in the field too, where he remains a standout first baseman solution.
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