Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt's Fate Could Be Same As Ex-Yankees World Series Champ's

The St. Louis Cardinals have seemingly moved on from fan-favorite Paul Goldschmidt after spending six seasons together, which resulted in just four playoff wins.

The potential future Hall of Fame candidate is searching the free-agent market for the first him in his highly decorated career this winter. After enduring his worst season at the plate this year, it'll be interesting to see where Goldschmidt signs.

A recent prediction for Goldschmidt's future has him paired with a former New York Yankees slugger, adding lineup depth and two Gold Glove options at first base to whoever they might sign with.

"(Anthony) Rizzo dealt with injuries all season, batting just .228 with eight home runs and an 81 OPS+," The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote Sunday when listing out the top remaining free agents. "He’s still a plus defender at first base and a leader in the clubhouse. Rizzo, 35, might have one more year left; perhaps a platoon with Paul Goldschmidt somewhere could make sense for him."

Unfortunately for Rizzo, the two previous seasons haven't been the kindest to his career stats, resulting in the Yankees declining the three-time All-Star's $17 million club option for 2025.

Goldschmidt and Rizzo have been two of the league's most prolific first basemen since debuting 14 years ago. However, their offensive performances have regressed since both sluggers logged two of their best seasons in 2022.

Having Goldschmidt and Rizzo on the same roster would allow both aging veterans to rest more frequently, possibly helping produce more positive results at the plate for both four-time Gold Glove defenders.