In another entry of their busy offseason, the New York Yankees have signed veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal. Jack Curry of YES Network was the first to report that the two sides were in agreement, while Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the value of the deal.

After missing out on Christian Walker, who signed a three-year deal with the Houston Astros on Friday, the Yankees quickly pivoted to the veteran Goldschmidt to add a notable and reliable name to their lineup. The 37-year-old has been one of the league’s premiere first basemen since his first full season in 2012 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Over 1928 career games, he has slashed .289/.381/.510 with 362 home runs and a 139 wRC+.

The seven-time All-Star debuted in 2011 before hitting a seven-year stretch from 2012-2018 with the Diamondbacks where he slashed .299/.400/.534 with 201 home runs and 684 RBI while being worth 39.5 rWAR. Following a 2018 season where he finished sixth in MVP voting, Goldschmidt was sent to the Cardinals where he continued his excellent production.

During his first five seasons with the Cards, Goldschmidt carried on his legacy batting .286/.373/.500 with 131 home runs in 682 games. His best season came in 2022 when he hit  .317/.404/.578 with 35 home runs and 115 RBI to win the NL MVP thanks to a 7.7 rWAR. However, 2024 was a slight regression for the veteran as he labored a 1.3 rWAR, the lowest since his debut season while batting .245/.302/.414 in 154 games. He still managed 22 home runs but also suffered his lowest walk rate of his career (7.2%) and his highest strikeout rate since 2011 (26.5%).

Goldschmidt had initially been reported to be seeking a multi-year deal but after his decline in 2024 alongside the fact he is entering his 15th big league season, the Yankees were able to snag him on a relatively cheaper deal all things considered. The Yankees are certainly hoping that any sort of production from Goldschmidt, even that akin to 2024, will be an upgrade over what they got this past season. Yankee first basemen, led by Anthony Rizzo and Ben Rice, slashed a combined .206/.282/.312 with 17 home runs. Goldschmidt’s durability and reputation of consistency instantly make him an upgrade should he continue to produce and perhaps even rebound.

Defensively the Yankees are also receiving a four-time Gold Glover. While 2024 was a signal of a step back at the cold corner, Goldschmidt has proven a reliable glove for infielders. With Gold Glover Anthony Volpe at shortstop the only known lock for 2025, the Yankees are aiming to improve that infield defense that cost them in the playoffs.

It’s been a busy offseason for the Yankees who most recently acquired Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs to play center field. The Yankees are adding plenty of proven sluggers and are now likely to move their attention to filling out the infield. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is likely to play one of the open infield spots but the Yankees may be looking at the market for third base. There is the prospect they could target Nolan Arenado to reunite with the newly signed Goldschmidt.

The two are close friends and Goldschmidt is part of the reason Arenado allowed a trade to the Cardinals in the first place. The Yankees had offered Marcus Stroman to the Cardinals in a reported trade offer earlier this offseason, but the Cardinals didn’t entertain the idea as they had no desire to acquire Stroman. Still, Arenado could be another big swing trade for the Yankees who continue to seek a coveted World Series title for the first time since 2009.