Yankees are interested in Paul Goldschmidt

The Cubs have apparently attempted to trade the first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger For weeks, the Yankees have been the team most often linked to Bellinger. However, recent reports suggest that the two clubs are facing a gap in negotiations. Over the weekend, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees were considering various alternatives, which was confirmed this afternoon by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Heyman’s report over the weekend suggested that the Yankees were considering such trade candidates Josh Naylor the guardian and Nathaniel Lowe the Rangers and free agents Pete Alonso, Christian Walker or Carlos Santana. Nightengale’s account is similar, saying the Yankees are engaged with these three free agents as well Paul Goldschmidt.

These free agents all have very different prices, largely due to their age. At 30, Alonso is by far the youngest. Walker turns 34 in March, Goldschmidt is 37 and Santana turns 39 in April. At the start of the offseason, MLBTR projected Alonso would receive a five-year, $125 million deal, Walker at $60 million over three years, and Goldschmidt at $15 million on a one-year deal. Santana wasn’t mentioned after signing a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Twins last winter, although he could earn a raise in 2024 after a strong season.

The Yankees still have several moving parts in their offseason, so their first base move will be accompanied by moves elsewhere. They also need a left fielder and another infielder, probably a third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Transitioning to second base is possible, although adding at the keystone is also possible. More bullpen moves could also be considered, while the rotation is still likely to have a surplus even after the Yanks win Devin Williams for Nestor Cortes And Caleb Durbin.

For these various openings they were linked with people like Alex Bregman, Teoscar Hernandez, Anthony SantanderBellinger and others as well as these various first base candidates. Of course, how much they spend in one place can influence how much they spend in another place. RosterResource currently projects the club to have a payroll of $245 million next year, down from $300 million in 2024.

Goldschmidt will likely be relatively affordable compared to Alonso or Walker, at least in terms of contract length. Given his age and recent decline in performance, he’s likely looking for a one-year deal. He was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 2022 by hitting 35 home runs and slashing .317/.404/.578 for a wRC+ of 175, but he has since regressed.

Last year he had 25 home runs, a batting line of .268/.363/.447 and a 122 wRC+. In 2024, he hit 22 homers with a .245/.302/.414 slash and 100 wRC+, suggesting he was right around league average that year. Aside from his rookie debut in 2011, his walk and strikeout rates in 2024 were the worst of his career, at 7.2% and 26.5%, respectively.

Given his age, this could be seen as a sign of early decline, although his strong results may provide some optimism. He produced a .230/.291/.373 line and an 87 wRC+ in the first half of 2024, then a .271/.319/.480 line and 120 wRC+ in the second half. Either way, he’s unlikely to secure a huge win this winter, but he’s also a higher risk than someone like Alonso or Walker.

The Yankees will likely weigh all of these different options when deciding where to allocate their resources. There’s no reason they can’t get Bellinger and a free agent first baseman, as Bellinger could be sent to left field, although the Yanks have other options there if they can’t come to terms with the Cubs in a trade.