The New York Yankees and veteran first basemanPaul Goldschmidtreportedly agreed to a one-year contract on Friday, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 38-year-old quietly had a productive 2025 campaign — his first season with the Yankees — as he hit .274/.328/.403 across 146 games played. While he failed to record the same type of numbers that he did back during his MVP-caliber days, Goldschmidt still made a positive impact overall.
Now, he is set to re-join New York. However, the signing also gives manager Aaron Boone a difficult decision. The ball club now features a number of players who can handle first base duties. Mixing and matching will be a problem at designated hitter with Giancarlo Stanton still on the roster.
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So, which players will see the most time at first base in 2026? Will Goldschmidt be primarily a bench player, or will he draw starts as well?
Yankees’ First Base Question
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17)© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
(© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Ben Rice is expected to start at first base. At only 26 years old, New York may want to give Rice a full-time role. He hit .255 with an .836 OPS to go along with 26 home runs in 2026. Rice could be an All-Star caliber player if given the everyday job at first base.
With that being said, Rice, a left-handed hitter, slashed .269/.356/.504 against right-handed pitching compared to a .208/.271/.481 slash line against left-handers. The possibility of a platoon remains realistic as a result.
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Goldschmidt is not the only Yankees’ right-handed hitter who can play first base, though. Rumors of Amed Rosario — who re-signed with the ball club earlier in the offseason — playing some first base have swirled.
Goldschmidt and Rosario can both hit left-handed pitching well. In 2025, Goldschmidt was especially impressive against southpaws.
One has to imagine that a platoon will be a legitimate option for Aaron Boone and the Yankees. Rosario offers all-around defensive versatility, so he can move around the field and fill in at first base when necessary. Meanwhile, Goldschmidt and Rice could potentially share first base duties depending on the pitcher on any given night.
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It will be a conversation that the Yankees will have in spring training. The final decision may stem from what they think of Rice’s future with the ball club. If they envision him becoming a star, then perhaps there will be less platoon opportunities for Goldschmidt. If New York believes that Rice’s best chance at success will come from primarily facing right-handed pitching, then Goldschmidt will probably see more at-bats.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.