Report: Cardinals will let Goldschmidt leave in free agency
The St. Louis Cardinals and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are expected to part ways at the conclusion of the season, sources told Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Goldschmidt, who's in the last campaign of a five-year, $130-million contract he signed in March 2019, is slated to become a free agent this offseason.
The 2022 NL MVP posted the worst season of his 14-year career in 2024, collecting 22 homers with 64 RBIs and a .713 OPS over 153 games heading into Sunday's finale.
"This is probably the worst I've performed on the field in my career," the 37-year-old Goldschmidt said. "That was disappointing, a good bit of that burden was on me. If I could've played how I believe I'm capable of playing, we could've won more games, and maybe this might have turned out differently."
The Cardinals are unlikely to bring back any of their impending free agents, a source told Woo.
St. Louis could reportedly lower its major-league payroll as the team prepares to significantly upgrade its minor-league system.
The club's front office is expected to discuss the team's direction during a press conference Monday, according to Woo.