An emergency Yankees-Cardinals trade to replace Anthony Rizzo with former MVP

The New York Yankees will be without their starting first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, for at least the next eight weeks following his fractured arm. The Bronx Bombers will be actively replacing Rizzo with DJ LeMahieu and prospect Ben Rice. These two aren't exactly ideal everyday bats.

With that said, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Yankees get aggressive in the trade market. They've done it in years past and I wouldn't be surprised to see them do it again, especially given how truly talented their 2024 team is.

They have the chance to be the best team in the league this year and they could go out and acquire a former MVP to help their case.

A Yankees-Cardinals trade that sends Paul Goldschmidt to New York

Let's preface this before Cardinals fans start a riot after seeing it. This trade is only made possible if the Cardinals fall out of playoff contention, which a lot of the projections say they will. Despite being in the Wild Card now, Baseball Reference gives the Cardinals under a 20% chance to hold that spot by season's end.

The Cardinals would only look to trade Paul Goldschmidt if they fall out of the playoffs. With that in mind, the Yankees would be a perfect match to send him to.

The Yankees wouldn't be buying the Goldschmidt that's hitting in the low .200s. They would be buying the player who held an OPS+ over 100 for the first 13 years of his career. They would be buying the player who's hit .262 with six homers and 15 RBIs since May 15.

To acquire him, they would trade their 10th and 13th-ranked prospects in their farm system, two pitchers having solid years. With Goldschmidt's contract expiring at the end of the season, this would be a win for the Cardinals instead of losing him for nothing.

Selvidge, 21, holds a 3.25 ERA in Double-A this year. MLB Pipeline projects him to be big league-ready in 2026. He has a good arsenal of four pitches and shows above-average control, leading him to be an intriguing prospect at this point in time. His development through Triple-A will be the biggest tell for his future success.

Beeter, 25, doesn't have the same control as Selvidge. His command is actually the biggest flaw in his game, especially in 2024. Despite having 21 walks in 32 innings, Beeter still holds a sub-3.00 ERA because of how unhittable he's been.

For the Yankees, adding Goldschmidt would be worth the loss of two prospects. They would hold the option to resign him at season's end. Goldschmidt could go for a change of scenery and playing alongside Aaron Judge and Juan Soto could protect him in the Yankees lineup.