3 St. Louis Cardinals who deserve extensions after Tommy Edman

1. Paul Goldschmidt

Finally, the most obvious candidate for a contract extension is Paul Goldschmidt.

As of now, negotiations have stalled, and the Cardinals may ultimately decide to wait until the season begins. But Goldschmidt brings a lot to the table.

Not only has he won an MVP during his time in St. Louis and guided them to the postseason four of the last five years, but he is a clubhouse leader and a veteran presence that young players can lean on.

Even in his advanced age, he is able to produce at a high level. He'll be looking to bounce back from a slight regression in 2023 and return to his MVP form. But as he ages, the Cardinals could potentially slide him into the DH role so as to keep his bat in the lineup.

St. Louis acquired Goldschmidt in 2018 from the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the clock is ticking for the Cardinals to put together a championship-caliber team while he and Nolan Arenado are still together.

It would be wise for the Cardinals to start talking about an extension with their slugger and find a way to keep him around as long as they possibly can.