Cardinals rumors: Grading 3 potential Paul Goldschmidt blockbuster trades
By Mark Powell
Could the St. Louis Cardinals actually trade Paul Goldschmidt? It sounds hard to believe, but it’s been suggested by fans and pundits alike.
Paul Goldschmidt will be 36 years old before he enters the final season of his contract. He remains one of the best hitters in all of baseball when he’s on, but the question remains just how long he can continue performing at this level, and how much money he’ll want when his contract runs up. It would be tough to blame Goldy for chasing after one last payday, especially if a contender is willing to pay a steep price for his services.
Goldschmidt has taken a small step back this season, slashing .287/.377/.493 as compared to his NL MVP-level numbers in 2022. Still, he should be an All-Star, and ought to be playing for a contender. The Cardinals are not that right now.
Goldschmidt has been loosely mentioned in trade rumors for much of the last month, first by Jeff Passan and then others. It’s still unlikely he’s moved, but if John Mozeliak has a change of heart, where might he land?
Cardinals Rumors: Grading a blockbuster Paul Goldschmidt-Giants trade
It should be noted that I’m grading each of these trades from the Cardinals point of view.
Grade this trade: C
For those unaware, Harrison is the top-rated LHP prospect in baseball, so this isn’t nothing from the Cardinals perspective. However, trading a recent MVP and Montgomery in a demanding market for starting pitching for one player would be a failure. It also doesn’t sound like the Cards current model. If they were to trade these two key contributors to their current core, one would hope they’d receive more MLB-level talent than just Harrison.
Goldy would fit quite well in San Francisco, which lacks much power from the right-handed side of the plate. LaMonte Wade Jr. would be moved to the outfield.