The New York Yankees have enjoyed a successful pivot away from one of the best players in baseball.
After losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, the Yankees were left to reinforce their batting order where they could. They opted for a trade to bring in Cody Bellinger and a one-year deal for veteran Paul Goldschmidt, and both decisions seem to be paying off.
The Yankees hold a first-place position in their division and have performed as one of the best offenses in baseball this season. Goldschmidt, in particular, has been a surprising success.
At 37 years old, the first baseman is slashing a stellar .339/.392/.486 with five homers so far for the Yankees. It could be the kind of contribution that brings them back to the World Series this season. But with a young upgrade waiting to take over his position, it’s likely to be a single-year affair.
“He’s at an age where he’s probably going to have to sign one-year contracts, like he did this time with the Yankees,” The Athletic’s Jim Bowden noted. “It’s unlikely he returns to the Yankees in 2026 due to the emergence of Ben Rice, who would appear to be their long-term solution at first base starting next year.”
Rice, a 26-year-old who can play at catcher and first, has slashed .259/.352/.552 with 10 homers for the Yankees so far, mostly in a designated hitter role. But as the team expects Giancarlo Stanton to return to the lineup from injury in the near future, competition for at-bats could get stiffer.
First base seems like the natural place for Rice to take over, as the Yankees have a promising young catcher option in Austin Wells moving forward. And, as a result, Goldschmidt might not have a position to return to even after a stellar single year with the Yankees.
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