TAMPA — The belief from his current and former clubhouses is consistent: Paul Goldschmidt, the player and the person, is going to help the Yankees.
A spring matchup with the Cardinals provided a reunion-type atmosphere for the new Yankees first baseman, who spent six mostly excellent seasons in St. Louis.
He did not return for a seventh season because his contract expired, the Cardinals had announced a rebuild, and he had tailed off in what was his age-36, 2024 season.
So he fell to the Yankees on a one-year, $12.5 million deal, bringing with him a potential Hall of Fame pedigree and concerns about how much he still could offer a team.
The answer, according to several who know Goldschmidt well: a lot.
“He’s going to have a big year,” said longtime teammate and friend Nolan Arenado. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes out and plays really well.”
Last season, Goldschmidt looked washed up during a first half that finished with a .664 OPS.
He bounced back with a strong second half (.799 OPS), which encouraged the Yankees to add him to their post-Juan Soto splurge.
Goldschmidt’s solid glove at first will contribute regardless, but his former manager believes his bat has plenty more to offer.
“There’s always going to be the thought when someone is getting into that age range of: ‘Man, they don’t have a whole lot left in the tank,’ ” Oliver Marmol said before a 7-0 Yankees win at Steinbrenner Field. “I don’t think that fits Goldy at all — a guy that takes care of his body better than anybody I’ve been around. But he’s also very in tune with mechanically when he feels good, and when he does not.”
Goldschmidt was not feeling mechanically sound during last year’s first half, Marmol said, and he found the fix over the final few months of the season. The problem, he believes, was with the swing and not with Goldschmidt’s age.
Another potential problem: Busch Stadium.
“I think at Busch, he would hit a lot of balls to right-center that would get caught [that were] hit hard,” Arenado said. “I think at Yankee Stadium, he’s going to get rewarded for that.”
Throughout the course of this season, it will be obvious whether Goldschmidt still carries the same type of ability that made him the NL MVP in 2022.
Less tangible will be his effect on the Yankees clubhouse.
Arenado said Goldschmidt “fits perfectly” with the Yankees as a leader.
Marmol remembered an early indication of the kind of individual he was dealing with.
When Marmol was Cardinals bench coach in 2019, he and his wife were caring for their newborn daughter and their 2-year-old daughter.
Marmol was about to spend plenty of time on the road at the onset of spring training, leaving his wife with her hands full.
“I get into the clubhouse one day,” Marmol said, “and [Goldschmidt] says, ‘Hey, it’s already paid for and I’ve already taken care of it. … You have a night nurse coming to your house every day of the week for the next month. Your wife doesn’t have to worry about anything.’
“Those are the types of things where his level of awareness … he would do things like that constantly.”
Goldschmidt’s RBI single Wednesday was one positive sign for the Yankees. Aaron Boone said he already has seen positive signs outside of the box.
“I think he ups our room value, which I already feel is very strong,” the Yankees manager said. “He does bring just a level of professionalism — been there, done that, student of the game, game within the game. Those have always been calling cards of him.
“He’s carried that reputation.”
