The New York Yankees have done a great job of dealing with the loss of superstar pitcher Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency, signing Max Fried and trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams.
The moves didn’t stop there, as the team recently made what one analyst described as a “smart deal” on Saturday to add more depth to the lineup.
MLB Network’s John Morosi spoke about the Yankees’ signing of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on Saturday, saying: “This is an exceptionally smart deal on the part of the Yankees, and it’s also a great landing for Paul Goldschmidt.”
“This is an exceptionally smart deal on the part of the Yankees, and it’s also a great landing for Paul Goldschmidt. . . .”@MattYallofMLB & @jonmorosi: discuss the former NL MVP’s reported one-year contract with the reigning AL champions. pic.twitter.com/dmJYqxlqgC
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 21, 2024
Morosi reminded everyone that Goldschmidt won the NL MVP two years ago and believes he will help extend the lineup and provide more protection for Aaron Judge.
Goldschmidt received a one-year, $12.5 million contract and will replace Anthony Rizzo as the team’s everyday first baseman.
Goldschmidt is coming off the worst year of his career and posted just a .716 OPS for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, but one thing he certainly brings that Rizzo didn’t is good health.
Aside from the 2020 COVID season, Goldschmidt has played at least 150 games every season since 2015.
Rizzo has missed more than 52 games in the past two years, so having more stability at the position should be a huge win for the Yankees.
New York was reportedly interested in Christian Walker before he signed a 3-year deal with the Houston Astros, but the 2022 MVP isn’t a bad consolation prize.
