"The American version of Son Ah-seop" Goldschmidt signed a single-year contract with the Yankees → The decrease in long-run power is also "traditional."

*This content was translated by AI.

Paul Goldschmidt (39), a "big shot first baseman" who once commanded the Major League with a huge long shot, eventually wore a familiar FinStreet uniform again. Romantic options such as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the return of the St. Louis Cardinals were also discussed, but he stayed with his previous team, the New York Yankees. The terms of the contract and recent performance indicators are drawing attention as they resemble Son Ah-seop (38, Hanwha Eagles), a KBO league veteran.

According to multiple media outlets, including the U.S. sports media The Athletic and the New York Post, Goldschmidt agreed to renew his contract with the Yankees on the 7th (Korea Standard Time). The club's official announcement has yet to be made.

Goldschmidt, who received $12.5 million (about 18.3 billion won) from the Yankees in the 2025 season, is speculated to have signed a contract for less than this amount. Compared to its heyday, it seems to have received a cold evaluation in the FA (free agent) market. It is believed that the inevitable aging curve has affected it.

The reason why Goldschmidt's contract is interesting to domestic fans is that it is a similar situation to Son Ah-seop. Goldschmidt and Son Ah-seop are hitters who commanded the Major League and KBO League respectively during their peak. It was also a symbol of steadiness. However, all of them were unable to go against the flow of time, and their slugging power plummeted.

First of all, Goldschmidt was a typical big shot, hitting a total of 372 home runs in the Major League since the 2011 season. However, in 146 games with the Yankees in the 2025 season, he hit only 10 home runs with a batting average of 0.274 (134 hits in 489 times at bat). Except for the 2020 season, when he played only 58 games due to bone fragment surgery on his right elbow, he had been hitting an average of more than 20 home runs per season since the 2012 season, but his home run simply disappeared. In fact, Goldschmidt in the 2025 season changed his style to focus on contact rather than swinging excessively over the fence. As a result, he transformed into a batter with sophistication from 173 to 100 in the 2024 season. It took a change to cope with the aging curve.

Son Ah-seop is also similar. He is a legendary hitter who hit the most hits in KBO league history with 2,618 hits, but his slugging ability has significantly decreased. Son Ah-seop's last double-digit home run season hit 11 home runs when he was with the Lotte Giants in the 2020 season, even though he was not a complete big shot. In the 2025 season, he hit only one home run. In the end, he faced a cold reality in the offseason this winter and signed a one-year contract with Hanwha on the 5th.

It is clear why the Yankees caught Goldschmidt. According to local media, it is because of his experience as a veteran, his still defensive skills, and his strength against left-handed pitchers (a relative batting average of 0.336). Goldschmidt is expected to take on the role of a "joker" and "mentor" to support Ben Rice (28), the main first baseman and prospect in the 2026 season.

Like the modifier "America's version of Son Ah-seop," Goldschmidt, who put down the pride of a big gun and changed his survival strategy with a sophisticated strike, will go to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March after signing the contract. The U.S. national team reached out to him despite his invincibility. Attention is focusing on whether Goldschmidt will be able to burn the "last flame" in the Yankees with his WBC performance.

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*This content was translated by AI.