Paul Goldschmidt rekindles his connection with the New York Yankees by signing a one-year deal.

As reported by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, seasoned first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has reached a one-year contract with the New York Yankees, marking his return to the team, pending official confirmation from the Yankees.

Goldschmidt boasts an illustrious 15-year career, including seven All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger Awards, four Gold Gloves at first base, and the 2022 National League MVP honor. According to Baseball-Reference, at age 38 and following the 2025 season, he ranks among active players in several key categories: second in doubles (477) and RBIs (1232), third in home runs (372) and runs scored (1280), and fourth in hits (2190) and defensive WAR (63.8).

Since suffering a hand fracture from a hit-by-pitch in 2014, Goldschmidt has avoided the injured list for 11 consecutive seasons (2015-2025). He has appeared in 1,611 games since 2015, the highest total in the majors, despite playing a career-low 145 games in 2025 (excluding the shortened 2020 season).

However, following his MVP campaign, Goldschmidt has struggled to maintain that elite level, particularly over the past two seasons. In 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals, he posted an OPS of 0.716, an OPS+ of 100 (league average), and a bWAR of 1.3. He then entered free agency after six years with the Cardinals and signed a one-year contract with the Yankees. His overall performance in the Bronx was similar: an OPS of 0.731, OPS+ of 104, and bWAR of 1.2.

A deeper dive into the stats reveals more volatility. Goldschmidt started the season strong, boasting an OPS of 0.889 through May, but it dropped to 0.610 later in the year. He excelled against left-handed pitchers with an OPS of 0.981 but struggled versus right-handers, posting an OPS of 0.619. Additionally, his offensive output on the road (OPS 0.842) was significantly better than at Yankee Stadium (OPS 0.606).

Goldschmidt appears to have adjusted his hitting approach, favoring more contact at the expense of power. His batted ball quality hit its lowest point since the Statcast era began in 2015, though he substantially reduced his swing-and-miss and strikeout rates compared to previous seasons. This led to a drop in strikeouts from 173 to 100, but also a decline in home runs from 22 to 10, with only 2 homers after June 19. Looking ahead to the 2026 season, further adjustments may be necessary for Goldschmidt.