NEW YORK — Paul Goldschmidt faced a challenging start to last season, enduring a frustrating four-month period highlighted by a dismal 0-for-32 streak. His slump was finally broken on May 11, when he managed a single in the ninth inning, narrowly escaping what could have been a historic five-strikeout game. “The feeling was just like, man, I’m better than this,” the former National League MVP reflected recently, shortly after signing a one-year contract worth $12.5 million with the New York Yankees. “But you got to go out and prove it. I mean, if you don’t perform, then you know you’re not going to be playing. And I think that’s just the truth in this game and in life.”
At 37 years old, Goldschmidt, a seven-time All-Star and recipient of four Gold Glove awards, has joined the Yankees after leaving St. Louis. He steps into the Yankees’ roster as part of a backup plan, given the team’s loss of Juan Soto to the New York Mets. Following a World Series defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York has also added pitcher Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to enhance their lineup. With Goldschmidt onboard, the Yankees are now home to four players who have earned MVP distinctions, including Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Having trimmed his beard and mustache, Goldschmidt engaged in a half-hour Q&A session, expressing his enthusiasm for joining this new team, marking his third club in Major League Baseball. He fondly recalled a series he played at Yankee Stadium while with the Cardinals during Labor Day weekend last season, saying, “Just to feel the energy walking out of the dugout, that was really fun. The energy’s high every game there.”
In his initial eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks followed by six seasons with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt experienced a downturn last year, hitting a career-low .245 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. However, he bounced back late in the season, posting a .283 average with seven homers and 25 RBIs starting from July 28. “Some things that I did wrong that got exposed and just wasn’t hitting pitches that for most of my career I’ve been able to connect on, things that the opponents were doing, whether they were pitching me different or stuff like that,” he commented on his struggles.
Throughout his career, Goldschmidt boasts a .289 batting average, with 362 home runs and 1,187 RBIs accrued during his time with the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals. He enjoyed a stellar 2022 season, hitting .317 with 35 homers, 115 RBIs, and an impressive .981 OPS, ultimately leading to his MVP title.
In January 2023, Goldschmidt dedicated a day to working on his hitting with Aaron Judge in Tampa, Florida, near the Yankees captain’s residence. “That’s something I’ve always tried to do is find great hitters or great players or coaches and just try to seek them out and try to learn from them,” he noted. He expressed excitement about playing alongside Judge, acknowledging him as one of the best hitters in the game today.
As he prepared for the 2024 season, Goldschmidt visited Driveline Baseball in Kent, Washington, for two days of mechanical assessment. Despite his efforts, he struggled in spring training, posting a mere .128 batting average with 6 hits in 47 at-bats, and carrying a .224 average with 22 RBIs in the first 52 games up to May.
He identified issues with alignment in his swing and admitted to facing mental challenges during his slump. “There’s times where maybe I was patient and pitchers were just getting ahead very quickly and I was just sitting there and an 0-2, 1-2 count,” he explained. “It’s easy to look at somebody when they’re struggling and say what’s wrong. It’s not always easy to say how to fix it or for us to actually fix it or make those adjustments.”
