The St. Louis Cardinals have announced they have completed a four player trade to get first baseman Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The six-time National League All-Star first baseman comes to St. Louis with catcher Carson Kelly, right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, minor league infielder Andy Young heading to Arizona in return.
Here is more information on the trade courtesy of the St. Louis Cardinals:
ST. LOUIS, Mo., December 5, 2018 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon that they have completed a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks, acquiring six-time National League All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in exchange for catcher Carson Kelly, right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, minor league infielder Andy Young and the Cardinals Compensation Round B selection the 2019 Major League Baseball amateur draft.
“We’ve been busy this off-season working to upgrade our lineup, and today we are excited to announce the acquisition of one of the game’s premier players in first baseman Paul Goldschmidt,” stated Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.
Goldschmidt, 31, has been a National League All-Star each of the past six seasons (2013-18), and he is a four-time (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) N.L. Silver Slugger award winner and three-time (2013, 2015, 2017) Rawlings Gold Glove award recipient. Goldschmidt is the lone N.L. player to be named an All-Star each of the past six seasons, and he’s one of just three players (Mike Trout and Salvador Pérez) in all of the majors to have done so.
The right-handed hitting Goldschmidt batted .290 in 2018 with 33 home runs and 83 RBI, finishing 6th in National League MVP voting. The 6-3, 225-pound Delaware native has compiled a career .297 batting mark with 209 HR’s and 710 RBI in 1,092 games and has hit 30 or more homers in four of the last six seasons, including a league-leading 36 in 2013 when he finished 2nd in MVP voting.
“Goldy” owns a career .398 on-base pct. and .532 slugging mark, and since 2013, ranks 2nd among National League leaders in home runs (181), RBI (602), hits (996), runs (599), walks (575), extra base hits (413). Goldschmidt is the current leader among active MLB first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage and he ranks 5th all-time in MLB history.
The Cardinals are planning to hold a press conference to introduce Goldschmidt on Friday, December 7 in St. Louis, and will have further details once they become available.
