Veteran Infielder Willing to Take Lesser Role With Yankees

The rise of Ben Rice was a pleasant surprise for the New York Yankees. His transformation into a viable slugger was enough for the organization to let go of Dom Smith, who had a great spring, and to have him start over Paul Goldschmidt in the postseason.

Of course, Goldschmidt envisioned this as a possibility when he was signed as part of the Plan B to replace Juan Soto's production. Last winter, he mentioned he would serve as a mentor to the younger players. He said as much during his introductory presser last January, according to Gary Phillips of the Daily News.

"I'll do whatever I can to help guys," Goldschmidt said when asked about Rice the previous winter. "I had so many great players that helped me when I was a young player, so I'm forever grateful for those guys. They sped up the learning curve. So whether it's him or any other player."

New York Yankees first base Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt — Apr 12, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first base Ben Rice (22) celebrates with Paul Goldschmidt (48) after scoring a run against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

A Return to New York

One year later, Goldschmidt may get his encore with the Yankees, and it would likely be in the role that he spoke about last year when the team introduced him, as opposed to the full-time gig handed to him out of Spring Training. The New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting that, in a potential return to New York, he is willing to take a more ancillary position with the team.

"Paul Goldschmidt seems willing to return to the Yankees, even as something less than a full-time player," Heyman wrote in the Post. "The Yankees are over the top tax threshold now, so they'd have to squeeze Goldy into the payroll. Goldschmidt makes sense since the Yankees still aren't sold on Jasson Domínguez batting right-handed, and Goldy is better defensively at 1B than Ben Rice."

Goldschmidt's New Roles

In some ways, Goldschmidt would be taking on the role of mentor that Matt Holliday had. The Yankees signed Holliday to be their DH in 2017, finding him to be a more reasonable option than Edwin Encarnacion that offseason.

During Spring Training, the Yankees placed the longtime veteran's locker next to a young slugger named Aaron Judge. During the season, he also shadowed another up-and-coming outfielder, Clint Frazier. Frazier cited Holliday's influence years later.

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and DH Matt Hollida — May 20, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez (24) is congratulated by New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday (17) after he hit a home run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

With Goldschmidt, though, he already has experience with the Yankees. It would be his second year here. He knows the players. He'd fit in like a glove.

He would also serve as insurance for Giancarlo Stanton. It would be a dream to get a full year of Stanton, but that doesn't seem likely, as he hasn't had a full year in pinstripes since his first.

If Stanton goes down, Goldschmidt could easily slot in as a DH. While he would not play over Rice this season, a potential Stanton IL stint is one way for him to get his at-bats. Whether he would last in that particular role is another debate altogether. Goldschmidt is at least a better option than giving reps to a journeyman or Oswaldo Cabrera, who has never even come close to being an average hitter in the big leagues.

Of course, a Goldschmidt return would not dispel the notion that the Yankees are simply "running it back." It would only reinforce it.

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