After the trade acquisition of third baseman Nolan Arenado, the Arizona Diamondbacks still have holes to fill on their roster. One of which is at the opposite corner of the infield.
Could a reunion with a franchise legend be in the cards?
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM refused to rule out a reunion with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, while saying it “could still happen.”
Even after getting Arenado, Arizona is still not satisfied with its current roster.
What Would Goldschmidt Bring to the Arizona Diamondbacks at This Stage of His Career?
The once perennial MVP candidate in Goldschmidt is entering the twilight of his career. Going into his age-39 season, he obviously doesn’t have many years left. Could he come back to the desert for one last ride?
While on a trajectory to Cooperstown, Goldschmidt could use one or two more solid years before he retires to make it set in stone. A seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award Winner, Goldschmidt would bring impeccable experience to a relatively young Arizona core.
In 146 games with the New York Yankees during the 2025 season, Goldschmidt took a noticeable step back in his production. While he hit .274 overall with 10 home runs, his splits told a different story.
He hit just .247 with three home runs against right-handed pitching and .336 with seven home runs against left-handers. This was a concerning development in Goldschmidt’s game, not seen before in his career.
While he can still hit at an above-average level, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll regress further. His defense took a huge step back as well, having an Outs Above Average of -3, compared to 0 in 2024, per Baseball Savant.
His sprint speed understandably has taken a hit as well. Given his advanced age, it isn’t that surprising.
So is he worth bringing back?
Goldschmidt’s Fit With Arizona
Goldschmidt played 139 of his 146 games at first base last year. He would figure to slide in as a platoon first baseman with Pavin Smith.
One of the main reasons Goldschmidt would likely not be the everyday first baseman is due to his poor splits against right-handers.
Against right-handed pitchers, Smith had a .265 average with eight home runs and an .817 OPS. Against left-handed pitchers, Smith had a disastrous.167 average with a .542 OPS. Those splits indicate that Smith needs a platoon mate.
Smith’s defense wasn’t much better than Goldschmidt’s at -2 Outs Above Average.
Goldschmidt has a .933 career OPS in Chase Field. While that is mostly buoyed by the excellent prime of his career, it would help the Diamondbacks not only on the field, but off it as well.
Attendance would go up exponentially if the organization brought back a franchise legend like Goldschmidt.
The fans would be grateful to spend one last year with the player they spent idolizing from 2011-18.
Regardless of whether it makes sense, the Diamondbacks need to make this move, among others, to stay afloat in a competitive NL West division.
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