Goldschmidt heeds to Judge’s call, lifts Yankees over Rays

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Goldschmidt thrives in pinstripes, delivers more than the Yankees hoped from him this season.

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, acquired on a stop-gap one-year contract, has transformed from afterthought to cornerstone in the Yankees’ lineup that’s finding its rhythm. A day after Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge put the onus on the veteran to do more, the veteran responded with a match-winning performance against the Rays.

Friday evening at Yankee Stadium, Goldschmidt launched a decisive three-run homer that provided all the offense in a 3-0 triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays. While Aaron Judge continues his historic pace, the 37-year-old Goldschmidt has quietly emerged as one of the Yankees’ most reliable offensive weapons.

Goldschmidt’s golden swing

Following a frustrating 5-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, Judge told reporters, “I was thinking one of those guys—[Paul] Goldschmidt or [Grisham]—was going to get on and we were going to make some magic happen.”

Goldschmidt showed his commitment to the Yankees in the very next game.

The game-changing moment unfolded in the fifth inning with two runners aboard and two outs. Goldschmidt connected with a 98.6 mph fastball from Rays southpaw Mason Montgomery, sending a high, arching drive that cleared the short right-field wall. The blast brought home Jorbit Vivas and Aaron Judge, providing ample support for Max Fried’s masterful pitching performance.

Goldschmidt concluded the evening 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .361 — second only to Judge across Major League Baseball. The homer marked his third of the season and second in consecutive games.

“Everyone’s overshadowed by what he does. He’s incredible,” Goldschmidt said of Judge. “I don’t think anything about [my numbers]. It’s a long season. I’d love to get a hit every time, I’d love to hit for a high average with the most homers and the most wins as we can. But we know there’s gonna be ups and downs.”

Revival in the Bronx

The Yankees made a calculated investment when they secured Goldschmidt with a one-year, $12.5 million deal last December. Coming off his worst full campaign in 2024 with St. Louis—batting .245 with 22 homers and a .716 OPS—the veteran showed enough late-season improvement to convince Yankees brass he had more to offer.

“I’m not trying to feel validated, I’m just trying to play well,” Goldschmidt said. “It’s gonna be a long year, but I think as far as stuff that I changed with my swing, I haven’t really changed anything. I was just creating some bad habits [last year], and it was just trying to get back to some of the basics.”

"I hope so!" 😁

– Paul Goldschmidt when @M_Marakovits asked if his power is coming along after back-to-back games with a HR pic.twitter.com/1s0EgwUyZ2

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 3, 2025

The gamble has yielded dividends beyond expectations. Through 32 games, Goldschmidt boasts a .906 OPS and 16 RBIs, helping redefine the Yankees’ offensive identity in Soto’s absence.

Mastering left-handed pitching

A significant factor in Goldschmidt’s resurgence has been his exceptional performance against left-handed pitching. With Friday’s homer off Montgomery, he improved to 18-for-30 (.600) against southpaws, with an OPS exceeding 1.700.

Manager Aaron Boone indicated these results align perfectly with their expectations when acquiring the veteran.

“I expected a high level of [professionalism], and we’ve certainly gotten that,” Boone said. “His preparation is his game within the game. His moxie, his situational awareness with things, all the things that you get to see up close and personal, have been really impressive.”

Boone emphasized that while power production often comes in streaks, Goldschmidt’s consistent quality at-bats have been evident from opening day.

“The home runs, those are things that are going to come in waves usually or bunches,” Boone said. “He’s going to hit his share out of the ballpark. But either way, I just want him to continue to focus on the quality of at-bat he’s giving right now.”

Clubhouse influence

Goldschmidt’s impact extends beyond statistical contributions. Younger teammates have highlighted his exemplary preparation and professionalism, particularly his approach to game planning and hitters’ meetings.

“He’s very prepared,” noted Yankees catcher Austin Wells. “He’s very focused. He always has something that he’s seen from recent outings that he’s reporting back on from watching the video. Getting to hear a guy like that, who’s ‘X’ amount of years into playing baseball and still watching film and preparing to have success, it’s really cool.”

The transformation at first base has been dramatic. After Yankees first basemen ranked last in MLB with a combined 71 wRC+ last season, Goldschmidt’s current 153 wRC+ represents one of baseball’s most significant positional improvements.

A true pro in MLB

Fried, who delivered seven scoreless innings in Friday’s victory, praised Goldschmidt’s disciplined presence in the batter’s box.

“He’s always just a professional at-bat,” Fried said. “No matter whatever his numbers are, whatever day of the week. You know when he comes up to the plate, he’s going to give you his best, and you can’t take any pitches off.”

Boone attributed Goldschmidt’s success against elite pitching to his sophisticated hitting approach.

“Part of that’s just being a smart hitter, too, and being prepared and knowing what you’re looking for in different situations,” Boone said. “That’s where his experience really pays off.”

Division race implications

Following Friday’s victory, the Yankees improved to 19-13, maintaining their two-game advantage over Boston in the American League East standings. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay dropped to 14-18, continuing to search for consistency.

Goldschmidt, however, remains focused on the long view rather than early-season accomplishments.

“It’s been a good four or five weeks for me,” he said, deflecting praise with characteristic humility. “But I just keep reminding myself to have good at-bats… whether it’s home runs or singles or walks, or whatever.”

A modest mentality producing outsized results—precisely what the Yankees envisioned when bringing the veteran slugger to the Bronx.

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