Cardinals not expected to re-sign former MVP after disappointing season

The St. Louis Cardinals are inching closer to the verge of elimination. With 10 games remaining on the schedule, they are seven games back in the National League Wild Card race.

Former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt is a free agent at the end of the 2024 season and could be playing his final games in a Cardinals uniform this coming weekend.

Mark Powell of FanSided listed the veteran slugger as somebody who is unlikely to return to the team in 2025.

"The first base market is barren, meaning someone will pay Goldschmidt beyond his market value," Powell wrote. "The Cardinals can do better."

There have been rumors that Goldschmidt was open to returning to St. Louis and that there was mutual interest. But even though he has started performing better in the month of September, he still has had a down season.

The 37-year-old first baseman is hitting just .244 this season with an OPS of .714. Only recently has he begun to perform more like his old self.

There will be plenty of bats available in free agency that the Cardinals could look to sign in order to replace Goldschmidt. They also have players such as Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker, Brendan Donovan, and Luken Baker who could take over at first base.

Because of this, a return to St. Louis for Goldschmidt seems unlikely, especially since the Cardinals are expected to have a lesser payroll in 2025.

It will be interesting to see if these are ultimately Goldschmidt's final games with the Cardinals.

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