It only made sense for the Arizona Diamondbacks to trade Paul Goldschmidt, who is one year from free agency and whose contract pays him just $14 million this year, making that year quite valuable in the trade market to any team looking to contend in 2019 and with an open spot at first base. The St. Louis Cardinals were a perfect trade partner, with surplus talent behind the plate and on the mound -- and in the outfield, where they still have a few more players than they can use -- although adding Goldschmidt creates a defensive liability across the diamond.
Goldschmidt had another Paul Goldschmidt year in 2018, despite an extended cold stretch that had him hitting .210/.325/.390 on June 1. He hit .330/.420/.602 the rest of the season and ended up over 5 WAR for the fourth year in a row and fifth time in the past six years. How much this benefits the Cardinals depends on who loses at-bats in the exchange -- Jedd Gyorko seems the most likely odd man out, entering the last year of his deal. With $8 million due to him from the Cardinals (the rest paid by San Diego), Gyorko, who was worth about 2 WAR in a utility role last year, should have some value in trade as a lefty masher who can play second base or third base comfortably.