The San Francisco Giants face a pivotal offseason after a disappointing 80-82 record. There is speculation that new president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, might target veteran first baseman in free agency.
He, who spent the last six years with the St. Louis Cardinals, is expected to become a free agent for the first time after both parties reportedly plan to part ways, according to The Athletic’s Katie Woo. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey suggests the seven-time All-Star could return to the NL West, possibly joining the Giants.
“He posted his lowest numbers in batting average, home runs, hits, and RBIs in 2024, which explains the Cardinals’ willingness to move on. Still, many teams would gladly acquire a first baseman with 20-homer potential, a .289 career average, and an .892 OPS,” Tansey noted.
The Giants, in need of a consistent first baseman and added middle-order power alongside Matt Chapman, could be a strong match for Him as they aim to climb back up the NL West standings.
His final year with the Cardinals under his five-year, $130 million extension saw him hit .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs, 33 doubles, 65 RBIs, and 70 runs in 654 plate appearances.
He Would Be an Upgrade for the Giants
He has had an impressive 14-year MLB career. Along with his All-Star selections, he’s earned five Silver Slugger Awards, four Gold Gloves, and was named the NL MVP in 2022. However, his offensive performance has declined since that MVP season.
His OPS fell from .981 in 2022 to .810 in 2023, with 25 home runs and 80 RBIs. The decline continued in 2024, where his OPS dropped to .716 and his performance, according to FanGraphs, was valued at 1.1 WAR, his lowest since 2011, his rookie year, when he posted 0.7 WAR in 48 games.
Despite a disappointing season, His output would still be an improvement over the Giants’ 2024 production at first base, where they collectively hit .239/.337/.362 with 14 homers, 62 RBIs, and 65 runs, worth 0.6 WAR.
Given his recent performance and age, He might sign a one-year contract this offseason, with Spotrac estimating his market value at just under $12.1 million.
Him Landing With Giants Could Serve 2 Purposes
The Giants acquiring Him to play first base could serve two key purposes.
First, he could boost San Francisco’s competitiveness in 2025. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Milwaukee Brewers believe Goldschmidt still has plenty of production left, and it’s likely other teams share that view as well.
Second, Goldschmidt could act as a mentor for the Giants’ future at first base. Bryce Eldridge, their 16th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, advanced from Single-A San Jose to Triple-A Sacramento in 2024, hitting .292/.374/.516 with 23 home runs, 27 doubles, 92 RBIs, and 76 runs in 519 plate appearances.
The organization likely wants to avoid rushing Eldridge to the majors, and signing a veteran like Goldschmidt to a short-term deal would ease that pressure while giving the young prospect a chance to learn from one of the best first basemen in the game.
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