Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
*PREDICTION*
As the baseball offseason continues to move forward, there are plenty of lower-tiered players available on the open market that can make a difference to a team. Sometimes, these smaller signings end up making the biggest impact, especially in the playoffs when anything can happen.
One of the bigger names this year is veteran infielder Paul Goldschmidt, who spent this past season with the New York Yankees. Goldschmidt is no longer the All-Star talent that he was a few years ago, but he can still mash the ball when called upon.
For the season, Goldschmidt hit .274 with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in, playing in 146 games for New York. It remains to be seen if Goldschmidt will return to the Yankees, but the two sides seem to be trending toward a departure.
This would open up the path for another team to land Goldschmidt, with his old team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, being rumored to go after him. But this is all hypothetical, and nobody knows where Goldschmidt will eventually land this winter.
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One team that could look to take a run at Goldschmidt is the San Diego Padres. San Diego is coming off another poor ending to the season, falling short in the playoffs once again.
The Padres lacked a consistent offense all year long, and it ultimately did them in when it mattered most. San Diego has entered the offseason looking to add to the team, but much like recent winters, the Padres may not want to spend a ton to make things happen.
Adding Goldschmidt to the mix could give them a veteran bat for the roster, while allowing the team to save some money in terms of salary cap. The veteran can offer the Padres a reliable bat that can help protect the other stars on the San Diego roster.
Goldschmidt isn’t the same player that he was once, but he can still hit fairly well, while providing this team with a veteran voice in the locker room. The Padres have lacked a leader in the clubhouse for a few years, and Goldschmidt could give them some stability for next season.
San Diego has the tools to be a competitive team next season, and Goldschmidt could help round everything out. The Padres also need help in terms of pitching, but this could be a low-risk move for them to consider.
The two sides know each other well from Goldschmidt’s time with the Arizona Diamondbacks years ago, and this could be a strong pairing for the final years of his career. Goldschmidt likely wants to head to a contender for next season, and the Padres could be the team to give him another shot.