Jack Curry of YES Network reports that the Yankees have had conversations with 1B Paul Goldschmidt, and that these conversations make him a name to keep tabs on.
Something that he also noted is that there could be a sticking point between these two sides since the Yankees would be viewing him as a backup for Ben Rice.
The Yankees got a .981 OPS and .570 SLG% from Goldschmidt against LHP, an area where the team is still looking to improve the roster.
While Ben Rice is a capable hitter against lefties he doesn’t profile as a bat that’s nearly as impactful in those situations as Goldschmidt, and there’s also injury risk with Giancarlo Stanton that you’d get some insurance for.
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Why the Yankees Remain Interested in Paul Goldschmidt For 2026
The Yankees really liked their roster last season and that’s something they’ve backed up with their acquisitions over the offseason, and Paul Goldschmidt could join the list of returning players.
He wouldn’t return on a deal similar to the one he received last year at one-year $12.5 million, and he would not come back as a starting option at the 1B position either.
Goldschmidt would be viewed as a masher against left-handed pitching, and his addition to the roster would give them some more utility if the team does keep Jasson Dominguez since they could run a more effective DH platoon.
If Giancarlo Stanton goes down, which is more of a certainty than a possibility during the regular season, the Yankees could roll out Jasson Dominguez against RHP and move Judge to DH (or DH Dominguez himself).
Ben Rice would be at first base in that scenario, and if the Yankees were facing a lefty than they could put Rice at DH and Goldschmidt at 1B, giving them better offense alongside an improved infield defense.
Whether the team completes a deal with Goldschmidt or not remains to be seen, but he could be an effective platoon option that improves the roster’s offensive floor and ceiling.