The peak version of the New York Yankees’ new first baseman lasted from 2013, when he had a 156 wRC+ and 6.0 fWAR in his second MLB season, to his MVP season in 2022, when he had a 175 wRC+ and 6.8 fWAR.
He stayed consistent in 2023 (122 wRC+, 3.4 fWAR), but regressed in 2024, with a league-average offensive output (100 wRC+) and 1.1 fWAR in 154 games. The Yankees are betting on the 37-year-old future Hall of Fame contender to recover, at least (ideally) to his 2023 form.
Paul Goldschmidt knows he can elevate his play
On Thursday, the slugger spoke with the media about joining the Yankees, revealing that he knows he is better than what he did and demonstrated last season:
“I aspire to play at a high level… The feeling was, ‘Man, I’m better than this,'” Goldschmidt told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. “That was my feeling last year, but you need to go out and show it. If you don’t perform, you won’t be able to play, and I believe it is true in this game and in life, and that is something we’ve all dealt with our entire lives.”
The Yankees could use vintage Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt has been in the game long enough to understand that numbers are what determine whether he has anything left in the tank or not. At the very least, he will be surrounded by a stronger lineup in the Bronx, as well as a potentially more suited stadium.
The Yankees are hoping he can turn back the clock and become the tremendous slugger who led a franchise for roughly a decade and was capable of reliably putting up 140-170 wRC+ seasons.
Even if Goldschmidt simply performs at league average levels, he will be a significant upgrade over the Yankees’ first basemen in 2023-24. However, the aim is that he can be a true asset offensively and defensively, like he was for the vast majority of his career.
