Paul Goldschmidt Trending Now: What’s Behind the Cardinals Superstar’s Latest Surge?

Bronx, N.Y.—All season long, Paul Goldschmidt has been both spark plug and question mark for the New York Yankees. After signing a one-year, $12.5 million “prove-it” deal last winter, the 2022 National League MVP roared out of the gate, batting .333 through May. Since then, however, his average has slipped to .277 and his OPS has fallen below the .760 mark, raising concerns inside Yankee Stadium about whether the 37-year-old can sustain an everyday role as the club’s first-baseman in 2026. Manager Aaron Boone continues to pencil Goldschmidt into the leadoff spot—he homered on the game’s first pitch against Texas on Monday night—but advanced metrics highlight an alarming trend: a 6-percentage-point dip in barrel rate and a ground-ball percentage that has climbed above 50 percent since June 1. Scouts also note reduced bat speed, a factor that could explain the sudden fall-off in hard-hit balls. According to Statcast, Goldschmidt’s average exit velocity has dropped from 91.6 mph in April to 88.9 mph since the All-Star break. The timing of the slump could not be worse. Multiple reports indicate that general manager Brian Cashman is eyeing three-time batting champion Luis Arraez as a long-term solution. Bleacher Report projects the Yankees to chase Arraez on a six-year, $90 million contract this winter, effectively writing the final chapter of Goldschmidt’s short Bronx tenure. Goldschmidt, ever the pro, isn’t conceding his job. “I signed here to win a ring, not to worry about my next contract,” he told reporters after Sunday’s loss to Miami. Still, the numbers tell a story: in 45 second-half games he owns a .238/.304/.351 slash line with just four homers, while his season walk rate (7.2 percent) is on pace to be his lowest since 2016. For comparison, Arraez’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is the best in baseball, and his .363 career OBP would slot neatly in front of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Defensively, Goldschmidt remains reliable—ranking in the 82nd percentile in Outs Above Average—but the Yankees’ front office values versatility. Arraez, a natural infielder, can rotate between first, second and even occasional left field, giving Boone lineup flexibility that Goldschmidt cannot match. What happens next will hinge on two variables: Goldschmidt’s final two months and the club’s October fate. A late-season surge and deep playoff run could persuade Cashman to roll the dice on another short-term pact. A continued slide, however, would almost certainly push the Yankees toward a younger, contact-oriented profile in Arraez. For now, Yankee fans find themselves checking box scores and exit-velocity trackers every night, wondering whether “Uncle Paulie” still has one more hot streak left in that compact right-handed swing. If he does, the Bronx could echo with MVP chants once more; if he doesn’t, the next ringing ovation might be reserved for a new first-baseman when pitchers and catchers report to Tampa next February.