The first base platoon of Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce worked out just fine for the Red Sox but Goldschmidt is a six-time All-Star who represents arguably the best player in the majors at his position. Pearce could leave in free agency, in which case the Red Sox would need to pair Moreland with another bat who can handle lefties. Goldschmidt needs no such platoon, as he handles lefties and right-handed pitchers well.
Goldschmidt won his fourth career Silver Slugger this season for hitting .290/.389/.533 with 33 home runs and 83 RBI. The three-time Gold Glove winner is also a strong defensive player so Boston wouldn’t be losing anything on that end by replacing Moreland.
The 31-year old will be a relative bargain at $14.5 million in the last year of his deal but the Arizona Diamondbacks could consider trading him before he hits free agency. As difficult as it would be for them to trade the face of their franchise, it’s something they must consider if they don’t feel they can re-sign him.
Arizona made the playoffs in 2017 but that was with a magnificent second-half run by J.D. Martinez carrying them. They weren’t willing to pay to keep him, resulting in the Diamondbacks falling 8.5 games out of a Wild Card spot this year. It will be hard to justify giving Goldy a long-term deal when he’s 32 years old if they aren’t contenders.
Boston is more likely to pay him the contract he deserves, although his age may make them hesitant. There’s also the risk that other team could outbid them, potentially making Goldschmidt a one-year rental. Can a Red Sox team with an already weak farm system stomach dealing a top prospect like Michael Chavis or Triston Casas for one year of Goldschmidt? That would probably be a starting point for any offer Arizona would listen to.
Sending Moreland to Arizona as a temporary stopgap to replace Goldy at first base while adding a few mid-tier prospects like Bobby Dalbec or Josh Ockimey should be where Boston starts the conversation. It’s a similar scenario to when the Los Angeles Dodgers dealt five prospects, none of whom appear to be a future star, for Manny Machado. It’s the classic quantity over quality in an era when most teams aren’t willing to give up a blue-chip prospect for a rental.