Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Bitter Rival Showed Interest In St. Louis Legend

St. Louis certainly is fortunate a move wasn't made...
Patrick McAvoy|
Mar 20, 2018; Jupiter, FL, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat with sunglasses sits on a glove in the dugout during a spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Mar 20, 2018; Jupiter, FL, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat with sunglasses sits on a glove in the dugout during a spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsMilwaukee BrewersNew York Yankees

The St. Louis Cardinals made some pretty big decisions this past offseason, including the choice to move on from Paul Goldschmidt

He spent six seasons in St. Louis and was named the 2022 National League Most Valuable Player. The 2024 season wasn't his year, though. He struggled in the first half but looked much more like himself in the second half. The Cardinals opted to move on from him in free agency and he landed a short-term deal with the New York Yankees.

Goldschmidt has been phenomenal to kick off the 2025 season and currently is slashing .364/.413/.465 with one homer, nine RBIs, seven doubles, and 12 runs scored in 26 games played. He's been great and it sounds like one of the Cardinals' biggest rivals had some interest in him this past offseason. USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reported that the Milwaukee Brewers "were planning to pounce" on Goldschmidt if Rhys Hoskins had opted to go to free agency.

"The Brewers were planning to pounce on free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt this winter if Rhys Hoskins opted out of his contract, believing he’d have a huge bounce-back season," Nightengale said. "Hoskins elected to stay, and Goldschmidt, after having the worst season of his 15-year contract, signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Yankees. Goldschmidt has been everything the Yankees hoped for, and more, hitting .364 with an .877 OPS."

It was tough to see Goldschmidt go. If he had stayed in the division, that would have been even worse.

More MLB: Cardinals Are 'Holding Back' Phenom Per MLB Writer

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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