Will the St. Louis Cardinals retain one of its superstars for the foreseeable future?
There has been plenty of speculation about the future of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The 2022 National League Most Valuable Player had a down year in 2023 but still is one of the top first basemen in baseball.
The 36-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season but there has been plenty of speculation that a possible contract extension could come together. Both sides have made it known that an extension won't happen until the 2024 season at least kicks off, but it is a real possibility.
It's unclear what a deal will look like, but The Athletic's Tim Britton projected a deal could end up being close to four years and just under $100 million.
"Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis: Four years, $97 million," Britton said. "Coming off one of its worst seasons in a generation probably isn't the time for St. Louis to commit to running it back deep into the future."
Goldschmidt is 36 years old but still is a star. He won the MVP award at 34 years old and although he had a down year last year still crushed 25 home runs and drove in 80 runs. It was a down year for his standards, but still a solid year overall.
St. Louis is expected to be in a much better place in 2024 and if it can rebound, a solid season from Goldschmidt certainly will be a major reason why.
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