The Arizona Diamondbacks have somewhat of a dilemma at first base, and one national outlet is predicting a major reunion with one of Arizona’s former fan favorite All-Stars.

A recent article by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter predicted each MLB team’s 2026 Opening Day roster. When he got to Arizona, there was one unexpected name: former Diamondbacks All-Star and fan-favorite Paul Goldschmidt was listed as Arizona’s Opening Day first baseman.

Below is Reuter’s Opening Day lineup prediction for the D-backs:

“With Tyler Locklear hitting .175 with 43 strikeouts in 116 plate appearances since he was acquired from the Mariners in the Eugenio Suárez trade, it looks like the D-backs will need to go outside the organization to find their 2026 first baseman,” Reuter wrote.

“Who better to serve as a stopgap than a franchise icon coming down the home stretch of a potential Hall of Fame career?”

It’s certainly a fun prediction to make, especially considering the legendary status Goldschmidt carries in Phoenix. Fans would surely welcome a reunion tour with their former homegrown star.

But does that type of move make sense for the D-backs, especially with the direction the organization seems to be headed? Not exactly. Here’s why:

It’s not that Goldschmidt isn’t still an overall plus player. 2025 has been anything but his best career season with the Yankees, and he’s still hitting .277/.328/.417 (although with only 10 homers).

But Goldschmidt simply hasn’t been effective against right-handed pitching this year. Against right-handers, he’s hit .240 (.604 OPS) and been worth a 68 wRC+ (32% below league average).

Against left-handers, however, that number jumps to a .340 average, a 1.090 OPS and a 197 wRC+ (97% above league average).

Essentially, those numbers mean Goldschmidt would likely be coming back to serve as the right-handed portion of a platoon.

A left-handed counterpart (such as Pavin Smith) would be necessary to ensure there is regular production from the first base position, which would limit Goldschmidt’s plate appearances and volume stats.

Considering he cost $12.5 million this season, it would likely take a significant discount for GM Mike Hazen to want to enter into a deal with the All-Star in a part-time role, who will enter his age-38 season in 2026.

The D-backs are also in a place where youth is their identity. Young, hungry players are earning their spots. A veteran presence may be exactly what the D-backs need, but that doesn’t mean the team will look to get older.

If either Locklear or Goldschmidt were left-handed hitters, it could make more sense to pair the young infielder with a veteran mentor at first base, as Locklear has struggled to find his footing in the major leagues. But that isn’t the case.

Whether or not Arizona sees Locklear as the eventual everyday first baseman, they’ll likely at least want to get him more playing time before making a final judgment on his viability. He is just 24 years old, after all.

So while Goldschmidt would certainly appeal to the fans in more ways than one, it’s not logical to see the D-backs take potential development opportunities away from Locklear (for the time being) to pay near or above $10 million for a 38-year-old first baseman who no longer performs against right-handed pitching.

Sorry, D-backs fans.