Leadership might be something the St. Louis Cardinals are missing.
The Cardinals have been one of MLB’s biggest surprises this season, outperforming expectations with a 33-25 record at the time of writing. Despite the front office labeling this as a retooling year, St. Louis is only three games behind the first-place Cubs in the NL Central. While a World Series title might be out of reach, a postseason appearance is within reason if they maintain this level of play. Remarkably, they’re doing this without Nolan Arenado, who remains on the trade block, and without Paul Goldschmidt.
St. Louis allowed Goldschmidt to leave in free agency this past offseason. Though he had a strong overall tenure with the Cardinals, his final year was underwhelming — batting .245 with just 1.3 WAR. However, he’s found new life with the New York Yankees, perhaps thanks to a change in hitting coaches and a fresh approach. In just two months, Goldschmidt has already eclipsed his total 2024 WAR, batting .338 with an .889 OPS.
St. Louis Cardinals are missing Paul Goldschmidt’s leadership
The Cardinals may be able to move on from missing the final chapter of Paul Goldschmidt’s playing days, but what could prove harder to replace is his presence in the clubhouse.
Now with the New York Yankees, Goldschmidt showcased that leadership after a tough loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. The 37-year-old first baseman delivered a steady, veteran message.
“The focus has to be on coming out and playing well \[Sunday]. Regardless of what’s going to happen with this series, we know that there’s a lot of season left,” Goldschmidt said.
Other veteran Yankees echoed his sentiment, emphasizing their continued belief in the team. After all, it’s only June 1.
