One of the best first basemen in baseball is expected to hit the trade market this winter, as the Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly willing to deal slugger Paul Goldschmidt. While many top teams are already set the position, the New York Yankees are a team that could potentially make room for him.
As it stands, the Yankees will have two players — Luke Voit and Greg Bird — competing for their starting first base job heading into 2019. However, ESPN’s Buster Olney speculates that they could consider making a move for Goldschmidt.
As has been reported, the D-Backs will listen to offers on their best players, including Paul Goldschmidt. Most contenders are locked in at 1B for 2019; the Cubs have Rizzo, for example. Total speculation: One team that could be a great fit for a Goldschmidt deal — the Yankees.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 14, 2018
Both Bird and Voit are under team control for several more seasons and very inexpensive in the short-term. Voit had a great season at the plate when he arrived in New York from the St. Louis Cardinals, as he hit .333 with 14 home runs and 31 RBI in just 39 games. Manager Aaron Boone recently said Voit will have a “leg up” on Bird entering the offseason after the way he played down the stretch.
Goldschmidt has a club option of $14.5 million for next season, so the Diamondbacks obviously plan to pick that up before shopping him around. The 31-year-old has been one of the best hitters in baseball for several years now and has averaged around 32 homers and 100 RBI over the past four seasons.
If the D-Backs do trade Goldschmidt, they will want a good return. They are reportedly interested in dealing at least one other star player, so they will likely want to load up on prospects. The Yankees could offer a prospect or two in addition to giving them Bird or Voit, but New York might be better off spending the money elsewhere with their two current first basemen on such team-friendly deals.
