Will the Diamondbacks Ever Renegotiate Paul Goldschmidt’s Contract?
By Thomas Lynch
Aug 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) at bat in the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The front office of the Arizona Diamondbacks has done an excellent job in clearing off player salaries for 2016. Gone are Trevor Cahill, Martin Prado, Addison Reed and Bronson Arroyo, guys that would have counted roughly $25 million dollars toward next year’s payroll. All of this clearing out means the D-backs can pursue a big free agent or two in the offseason and perhaps revisit the trade for Aroldis Chapman. This makes me wonder how the best player on the team feels about all of these dollars.
Will Arizona ever decide to tear up Paul Goldschmidt’s contract?
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Kevin Towers is vilified by a sizable portion of Diamondbacks’ fans. However, he is also responsible for one of the three best moves in franchise history. Signing Goldy to a contract in March of 2013 that bought out his arbitration years and possibly the first two years of free agency was pure genius. The numbers bear this out in almost laughable fashion.
Next year, the All-Star will be making $5.875 million dollars. In 2019, when he is 31 and in the final year before free agency, his salary calls for an amount of $14.5 million dollars or a club buyout of $2 million. In comparison, that same season Mike Trout will make just north of $34 million, Robinson Cano will be earning $24 million and Albert Pujols, who will be 39 that year will make $28 million. Paul Goldschmidt will be the most underpaid player in the game for the next four years. The Snakes, with a surplus of young talent all coming into the Majors within a year of each other are set up nicely over the next few years.
That is why I believe at some point before the 2018 season, Goldy’s contract will be renegotiated. That or he will get a very generous extension. It would be a wonderful way to reward a guy who is a leader by example and is not (at least publicly) griping about his salary when he has every reason to do just that. Hopefully, that translates into a sustained, winning franchise.