Goldschmidt Staying In St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals have signed first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to a five-year contract extension through 2024 worth $130 million. The contract has a full no-trade clause and doesn't include any opt-outs in it. It's the largest contract in franchise history. Goldschmidt, 31, was acquired by the Cardinals on December 5, 2018, in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Goldschmidt is entering his 9th MLB season. Overall, he's played 1,092 games with 709 runs, 1,182 hits, 267 doubles, 19 triples, 209 home runs, 710 rbi's, 24 stolen bases, 655 walks, and a .297 batting average. Goldschmidt led the NL in home runs and rbi's in 2013. He also won the Hank Aaron Award in 2013. Goldschmidt has won the Sliver Slugger Award 4 times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018). He's won 3 Gold Glove Awards (2013, 2015, 2017) and is a 6 time All-Star (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).

Goldschmidt hasn't played a regular season game as a Cardinal yet, but he likes the Cardinals direction they appear to be headed in. The Cardinals did a good job to lock up Paul Goldschmidt beyond 2019. The Cardinals got Goldschmidt for way less than what people thought it would take to get him. The Cardinals also don't have many free agents on their own team to worry about. Marcell Ozuna, Matt Carpenter (team option), and Michael Wacha, The Cardinals probably will pick up Carpenter's option or see if they can re-work his contract. His team option is worth $18.5 million or a $2 million buyout.

It's nice to see the Cardinals keeping a stud in Paul Goldschmidt. The Cardinals have the talent, now all they need to do is keep it and add to it. Goldschmidt is one of those players a franchise needs to keep. He's able to make players around him better. Maybe Goldschmidt helps attract free agents to St. Louis. Fans should be happy.