Goldschmidt fits perfectly with the New York Yankees' expectations of a superstar

Not every veteran arrives in New York right away — Tino Martinez, who succeeded Don Mattingly in April 1996, was in a slump until a Grand Slam against the Orioles late in the month to become the cornerstone of the Yankee dynasty. Francisco Lindor, who came across the city, batted just 0.230 in his first season. But Paul Goldschmidt is clearly not among them.

The 37-year-old, who won the National League MVP three years ago, helped the Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Royals on Wednesday night and was firmly in the lead with a 0.348 batting average and 0.397 on-base percentage as Aaron Judge's line-up backing. Although it has yet to show its long-shot firepower (0 hits this season), its performance has far exceeded the collective contribution of the Yankees' first basemen last year (the 2024 Yankees first baseman attack index is only 0.663).

"He's been an indispensable piece of the puzzle," Judge commented. While the likes of Cody Bellinger (0.185), Jaz Chisholm Jr. (0.176) and Anthony Volpe (0.219) struggled, Goldschmidt used his professionalism to prop up the early stretch. John Mozeliak, president of Cardinals baseball operations, described it this way: "He's great enough as a player, but he's even better as a human being — an exemplary husband and father, generous and stylish on and off the court." ”

During his time with the Cardinals last year, Goldschmidt's batting average of 0.245 and 22 hits in his first 100 games was below expectations, but his attack index rebounded to 0.800 by the end of the season. The Yankees are betting on its recovery in a one-year contract, and now it looks like it's worth the money. "It's nice to hit a hit, but it's a long season," says Goldschmidt, who remains humble.

Goldschmidt's plug-and-play is an outlier compared to the pains of New York and Edwin Díaz's 2019 5.59 defense. Coach Aaron Boone lamented: "The future Hall of Famer came with humility and he said, 'I want to hit here, I want to fight here' – he's not only improving the record, he's also elevating the dressing room atmosphere. ”

When asked how much fuel was left in Goldschmidt's tank, Mozerriak replied with a "Class Act". Now the elegant first baseman is proving in his actions that the style of a superstar is timeless.