Mets Free Agency Wish List: Paul Goldschmidt

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The New York Mets have a glaring need at first base, and a future Hall of Famer recently stated he wants to play another year. Is this a match made in heaven?

According to Baseball-Reference, the Mets placed 26th in first base bWAR this season with 0.3. After losing Pete Alonso in free agency to the Baltimore Orioles, they pivoted and signed career second basemen Jorge Polanco and challenged him with learning first base. Polanco only managed to play 37 games this year due to injury and struggles at the plate. The Mets then leaned on lefty Jared Young, who posted 1.7 bWAR, and righty Mark Vientos who posted -1.2 bWAR. Needless to say, it's clear the organization needs a right-handed first basemen to create a strong platoon with Young.

Lo and behold, Paul Goldschmidt will be a free agent this offseason following a season where he hit .252 with a 112 OPS+. According to Jon Heyman, Goldschmidt, 39, wishes to keep playing, stating that he loves to compete.

A few things the Mets will love when evaluating Goldschmidt include a .299 average with a .967 OPS vs left-handed pitching in 2026; likewise, he has never posted a below league average WRC+ (99 or worse) in his 16 year career.

The 2022 NL MVP can retire right now and probably walk his way into Cooperstown, but evidently Goldschmidt will not stop playing while playing at a high level. By the time next season rolls around, he will only be five years removed from his 2022 MVP and has been excellent in recent campaigns as part of a platoon with Ben Rice on the Yankees.

In recent memory, the Mets have rarely had a set platoon for a position. Before the 2025 season, Jesse Winker and Starling Marte were supposed to platoon at DH before they both dealt with injuries. They do play matchups like every other team, but no 1-2 punch at a position they have had would be as effective as a platoon with Goldschmidt and Young.

Another tidbit of note: David Stearns has not gone an offseason without signing a player away from the Yankees since he took over in Queens. His addiction started with Harrison Bader and Luis Severino in 2024, continued with Juan Soto in 2025, and then led to the bullpen tandem of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in 2026. Coincidence? Maybe, but if he were to look for his fix again this winter, Goldschmidt would be near the top of the wish list.

You can argue there will be better first basemen on the market this offseason, but there is no better fit for what the Mets need. They are primed to enter a bidding war for Tarik Skubal and other pitchers this offseason. A veteran first basemen who has produced every year of his illustrious career would be the perfect addition to a roster needing a little more punch from its infielders.