The Paul Goldschmidt situation with the Yankees isn’t dead yet.
They’re still working on something, and the latest signs look promising for both sides.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday that things are moving in the right direction:
“Paul Goldschmidt seems willing to return to the Yankees, even as something less than a full-time player. The Yankees are over the top tax threshold now, so they’d have to squeeze Goldy into the payroll. Goldschmidt makes sense since the Yankees still aren’t sold on Jasson Domínguez batting right-handed and Goldy is better defensively at 1B than Ben Rice.”
What’s interesting here is Goldschmidt’s willingness to accept a reduced role. We’re talking about a guy who’d essentially be the short-side platoon option at first base, primarily facing left-handed pitching.
That’s a pretty big step down for a seven-time All-Star and former MVP. But at 38 years old, Goldschmidt seems to understand where he is in his career.
From the Yankees’ perspective, this makes a lot of sense. They’ve got payroll constraints after crossing the luxury tax threshold, but they also have some real questions about their current options.
The Domínguez situation is telling. If they’re not confident in his ability to handle righties, that’s a problem they need to address. And while Ben Rice showed promise, Goldschmidt’s still the better defensive option at first.
The numbers back up the logic here. In his first season with the Yankees last year, Goldschmidt hit .274 with a .731 OPS overall. Nothing special there.
But against lefties? That’s where it gets interesting.
Goldschmidt posted a .981 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025. That’s elite production, and exactly what you’d want from a platoon bat.
So far in his career, the guy’s put up a .288 average with an .884 OPS and 372 home runs. Those are Hall of Fame numbers, even if his best days are behind him.
The Yankees paid him $12.5 million on a one-year deal last season. Whatever they’re discussing now would presumably be significantly less, given the role and their payroll situation.
That’s where this gets tricky. The Yankees need to find room in their budget, and Goldschmidt needs to be comfortable with both the money and the reduced playing time.
But if they can make the numbers work, this feels like a smart move for both sides. The Yankees get a proven veteran who can still rake against lefties and play solid defense. Goldschmidt gets to stay with a contender and extend his career on his terms.
The fact that these talks are still happening suggests there’s mutual interest. Now it’s just about finding a way to make it work financially.
