Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is returning to the New York Yankees on a one-year contract, according to multiple reports. The 38-year-old, who joined the team last season after six years with the St. Louis Cardinals, opted for the deal despite offers with more money from other clubs. He will provide a right-handed platoon option at first base alongside Ben Rice.
Paul Goldschmidt, a seven-time All-Star and the 2022 National League MVP, is finalizing a one-year agreement to rejoin the New York Yankees, sources including MLB.com's Mark Feinsand and the New York Post's Joel Sherman reported. The club has not yet confirmed the deal. Goldschmidt, who turns 38 in September, had a decorated 15-year career marked by five Silver Slugger Awards and four Gold Gloves at first base. He ranks second among active players in doubles (477) and RBIs (1,232), third in home runs (372) and runs scored (1,280), and fourth in hits (2,190) and position-player WAR (63.8), per Baseball-Reference.
Goldschmidt's durability stands out; he has played 1,611 games since 2015 without an injured list stint, the most in the majors during that span. However, his performance dipped in recent years. After a .716 OPS and 100 OPS+ with the Cardinals in 2024, he signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal with the Yankees. In 2025, he posted a .731 OPS, 104 OPS+ and 1.2 bWAR over 145 games, with a .274/.328/.403 slash line, 45 RBIs and 10 home runs. Early in the season, he slashed .889 through May but struggled later at .610. He excelled against lefties (.981 OPS) but faltered versus righties (.619), and performed better on the road (.842) than at Yankee Stadium (.606).
For 2026, Goldschmidt is expected to platoon at first base with left-handed hitter Ben Rice, who emerged as a part-time catcher last year. His defensive prowess could see him as a late-inning replacement. The signing addresses a need for a right-handed bench bat, complementing the Yankees' offseason moves: retaining outfielders Cody Bellinger on a five-year, $162.5 million deal and Trent Grisham on a $22 million qualifying offer, plus acquiring pitcher Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins. New York holds the second-best World Series odds at +1000, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (+225). Goldschmidt remains an above-average hitter and valuable clubhouse presence, though adjustments may be needed to regain power after dropping from 22 home runs in prior seasons to 10 in 2025.