Baseball rarely offers a second act to aging players. At 38 years old and coming off the least productive season of his career, Paul Goldschmidt seemed to be on the wrong side of Father Time. Putting up some of the worst offensive numbers of his career, he was losing what his then-14-year career resume had built for him.
Now looking like the steal of the offseason, Goldschmidt rejected the inevitable decline and instead turned back the clock to become one of the Yankees’ most important sluggers. In season 16, the veteran first baseman has become his All-Star self once again.
Goldschmidt was forced into the spotlight after Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Trent Grisham went down with injuries, as the Yankees needed a bat in the middle of the order. His unexpected resurgence has made him an anchor in the lineup during these crucial times.
Age Can’t Slow Paul Goldschmidt Down
Many fans would not believe that back in April, Goldschmidt would be a top-three hitter in the Yankee lineup. When he signed a $4 million deal to return, he knew it would be a reduced role. With Ben Rice getting most of the starts at first base, Goldschmidt would be a platoon bat and a solid bench piece for Aaron Boone late in the game.
When the offense was healthy, Goldschmidt started only 10 games from the end of March till the beginning of May. At 38, he should be better suited as a role player, but now he seems to be aging in reverse. Taking over for Stanton after his calf injury in late April, the former MVP is hitting .321/.368/.601 since then in his everyday role.
In June, he’s been unstoppable at the plate, looking like his former Arizona Diamondback days. Whether leading off or batting in the middle of the lineup, his production has exceeded all expectations. So far this month, Goldschmidt has been hitting .346 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs.
This revival to help the injured Yankee offense has been nothing short of spectacular. It evokes memories of Matt Carpenter‘s magical summer in pinstripes. Among Yankee hitters, Goldschmidt finds himself near the top of the leaderboard. He currently ranks first in batting average, second in slugging, and third in home runs.
“He’s a Hall of Fame player,” Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon said via SNY Yankees. “He’s been really good at this game for a long time, and he’s aging pretty well as well.”
While Stanton’s return will force Boone to make a tough decision, Goldschmidt has made himself indispensable in this current offense.
Goldschmidt’s Power Surge Has Fueled His Resurgence
The best to come from Goldschmidt this season has been his ability to hit the long ball. In 2025, age began to creep up, and he became more of a singles hitter who could find any hole in the field. His power fell off a cliff; on the other hand. With only 10 home runs last year in 534 plate appearances, fans were wondering if the wheels were falling off the former MVP.
This season, Goldschmidt has already slugged 12 home runs in just 203 plate appearances so far. He’s not just hitting lefties this year but both sides for power. In 2025, seven of his 10 home runs were off southpaws, but this year he has six off both sides.
From being compared to hitters like Luiz Arraez in 2025 to now having more home runs than stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Kyle Tucker, he’s been nothing short of a blessing to an injured Yankee offense. It’s really a season nobody saw coming.
Historic Season at 38 Years Old
When you think of great seasons at 38, a few names come to mind. Barry Bonds in 2003, in the mix of winning four straight MVPs; David Ortiz‘s hitting 35 homers in 2014, or more recently, in 2019, Nelson Cruz and his 41 home runs.
Goldschmidt isn’t going to recreate those seasons of 30-plus homers, but he is maintaining a wRC+ close to those legendary seasons. As of now, he’s at a 148 wRC+, which ranks fourth among 38-year-old sluggers with at least 190 at-bats. He is surrounded by legends of the game on this list. But can he keep up the pace?
To cement himself among those greats, Goldschmidt would need to maintain this level of play for a full season, which is something he hasn’t done since he won MVP in 2022 when he had a wRC+ of 175. Sustaining elite production at 38 is a big ask, but he has shown signs so far. Last year, he got off to an incredible start, hitting .287 with eight home runs in the first half. Then, in the second half of the season, Goldschmidt collapsed and only hit two homers and had a .245 average.
If Goldschmidt can keep up this pace, then this magical season will go down as one of the best signings in recent memory. He’s putting the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame resume to book a stay in Cooperstown. The man has almost done everything in baseball, but he’s still proving that he’s got gas left in the tank.
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