First baseman Paul Goldschmidt has officially signed a one-year contract with the New York Yankees worth $12.5 million as of Monday.

This contract was initially agreed upon on December 21, pending a successful completion of a physical examination.

With Goldschmidt’s addition, he becomes the Yankees’ fourth major signing since Juan Soto moved to the New York Mets. He joins left-hander Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger in bolstering the team’s roster. Goldschmidt’s arrival suggests that Bellinger may take on a more predominant role as an outfielder.

Goldschmidt is a seasoned player, having achieved seven All-Star selections, four Gold Glove awards, and winning the National League MVP in 2022. He will now be collaborating with fellow MVPs Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Bellinger as part of the Yankees team. After concluding a substantial $130 million contract over five years with St. Louis, he entered free agency.

Throughout his career, Goldschmidt spent the first eight years with the Arizona Diamondbacks before moving on to the Cardinals for the last six seasons. Despite experiencing a downturn last season with a career-low batting average of .245, he managed to hit 22 home runs and secure 65 RBIs. Notably, he showcased a late-season turnaround by batting .283 from July 28 onward, contributing seven home runs and 25 RBIs during that time.

In his performance against left-handed pitchers this past year, Goldschmidt achieved a batting average of .295, with five home runs, 16 RBIs, and an .839 OPS over 167 plate appearances. In contrast, against right-handed pitchers, he posted a .230 average with 17 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .675 OPS in 487 plate appearances.

Overall, Goldschmidt holds a career batting average of .289, with a total of 362 home runs and 1,187 RBIs accumulated during his time with the Diamondbacks (2011-2018) and Cardinals (2019-2024). In his standout year of 2022, he boasted an impressive .317 batting average, hitting 35 home runs and earning 115 RBIs along with a .981 OPS.

The Yankees are still seeking additional reinforcement, particularly for a third baseman and left-handed relievers, as there currently are none on their 40-man roster.