3 St. Louis Cardinals who won't be back if they extend Paul Goldschmidt

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is in the final year of his contract. It’s unclear if extending the veteran is a priority for the Cards, especially after they spent the majority of their offseason adding to the pitching staff in the form of Kyle Gibson, Sonny Gray and Lance Lynn.

John Mozeliak commented on the matter in December, saying that the club prefers to get a deal done before Opening Day if at all possible. If Goldschmidt isn’t extended before then, odds are talks will die until the offseason, as is the trend in the modern game.

The good news for the Cardinals is that Goldschmidt is 36 years old. As talented as he may be, he’s not going to receive a long-term contract at a high AAV. This gives Mozeliak and Co. the advantage to sign Goldschmidt to a short-term, high-AAV contract.

Goldschmidt slashed .268/.363/.447 with a wRC+ of 122 and 25 home runs in 2023. While not necessarily in his MVP prime anymore, Goldy is still stable defensively at first base. His plate presence plus veteran leadership is reason enough to keep him around at the right price.

Unfortunately, if that price is too high, it could force Mozeliak to part ways with other players as a result.

3. Matt Carpenter won’t return if Cardinals sign Paul Goldschmidt to extension

I have to admit, there’s no guarantee Matt Carpenter returns even if Goldschmidt hits free agency. Carpenter was a late addition this winter, and is competing for a role on the Cardinals bench. He is no longer an All-Star caliber hitter despite his resurgence with the Yankees two years ago. Carpenter signed a minor-league deal with St. Louis — a familiar location for him — with the hopes of reviving his MLB career on a winner.

“The one gift that Matt Carpenter always has is he knows how to see a baseball and he can still take a walk. That’s still a great skill, and we are encouraged with where his swing is,” Mozeliak said after signing Carpenter.

In that sense, Carpenter still has value for the Cards. If he plays too well, however, he’ll price himself out of St. Louis, especially with a Goldschmidt extension looming.

2. Cardinals will be forced to trade Dylan Carlson

It’s surprising the Cardinals didn’t trade Dylan Carlson this offseason, but that could all change for the former top prospect at the deadline. If St. Louis extends Goldschmidt before the season, they could be forced into a situation where they need to clear payroll. Carlson, if he plays well, will receive a nice payday in arbitration.

Carlson was almost traded to the New York Yankees last August, but instead stayed with the Cards. Carlson still provides some value defensively but has struggled at the plate the last few years. While it’s only spring training, Carlson believe this is the year he’ll turn it around.

“I guess the better way to put it would be giving myself a bigger engine,” Carlson said. “You have your normal swing and what you’re capable of doing. At this point, where I am right now, I’m trying to expand and allow myself more. There’s more in it. The biggest thing I noticed, looking at the numbers, was the difference just with intent. With intent you can make a big difference.”

St. Louis can’t afford to lose much in the pitching department even with a looming Goldschmidt extension. This is what makes a Carlson trade all the more likely. Getting a potentially-pricey outfielder off the books will help ownership add elsewhere on the roster.

Could the Cardinals trade Tommy Edman after Paul Goldschmidt extension?

Tommy Edman won’t be a free agent until 2026, but if the Cardinals were to trade him now, they’d max out his value. Edman is a super-utility man of sorts. He can play second base, shortstop and more. However, St. Louis just signed Brandon Crawford and have already pencilled in Masyn Winn as their starting shortstop. Edman’s value, while immense overall, is a moot point on the infield.

Edman avoided arbitration this offseason with a new two-year deal, so he’s likely safe for now. He’s slashed .265/.319/.408 over the course of his Cardinals career. While Edman underwent wrist surgery last October, his rehab was completed prior to spring training.

If St. Louis signs Goldschmidt to an extension, a player like Edman who hits with average and can play multiple middle infield position will fetch a decent price on the free-agent market. With the Cardinals ownership cutting around the margins, a player like Edman could unfortunately be the victim of a roster crunch.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 St. Louis Cardinals who won’t be back if they extend Paul Goldschmidt.