St. Louis Cardinals Acquire Paul Goldschmidt in Blockbuster Trade
By Dylan Smith
On Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Are they now division favorites?
This has been an offseason full of blockbuster trades. Surprisingly, Wednesday’s deal doesn’t involve Jerry Dipoto and the Seattle Mariners. The St. Louis Cardinals decided to get in on the fun as they have acquired Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In return, the Diamondbacks will receive Carson Kelly, Luke Weaver, Andy Young and a Compensation Round B Selection in next year’s draft.
The Cardinals had been searching for an impact bat to anchor the middle of their lineup. Paul Goldschmidt, a six-time All-Star and perennial MVP Candidate, definitely fills their need. His acquisition likely slides Matt Carpenter back over to third base.
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Paul Goldschmidt is headed into his last season of club control. The slugger is set to earn $14.5 million, before hitting free agency next winter.
The St. Louis Cardinals are a much better team after the acquisition of Goldschmidt, but they gave up a LOT to acquire a player headed towards free agency. Carson Kelly and Luke Weaver have struggled at the Major League level, but they are both young, talented players. Andrew Young is a young infielder that has shown an ability to hit.
From the Diamondbacks point of view, this was a great trade. They lost a franchise star, but they were able to maximize on his return value. For a team looking to cut payroll, the Diamondbacks received more value in Kelly, Weaver, and Young, then they would have received from a supplemental draft pick resulting from a rejected qualifying offer.
The St. Louis Cardinals took a risk by acquiring Paul Goldschmidt. They could capitalize on their acquisition by winning a World Series, or just being competitive and signing him to an extension.
dark. Next. Cardinals season review
Are the St. Louis Cardinals now the front-runners in the National League Central? Time will tell, but we can say that the division race just got a whole lot closer.