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Paul Goldschmidt during an at bat.

The New York Yankees will be in a tricky situation once Giancarlo Stanton returns . The team’s primary designated hitter still needs to ramp up and would typically be a welcome addition to this lineup.

However, with Ben Rice excelling in that role (.264 batting average, .935 OPS, 163 OPS+, 8 home runs) and Paul Goldschmidt occupying first base, manager Aaron Boone will have too many quality players and not enough spots.

A recent Bleacher Report article listed Goldschmidt as a potential surprise trade candidate amid the complicated depth chart:

“As things currently stand, there’s no chance the Yankees would trade away Paul Goldschmidt. He has been one of the four most valuable bats in their lineup. Opponents probably already should be intentionally walking Aaron Judge on a regular basis, but it would become a much more common practice if Goldy’s bat vanished tomorrow,” Kerry Miller writes.

“If a handful of things go in New York’s favor, though, flipping Goldschmidt for a starting pitcher could be on the table. The biggest one is that the 37-year-old first baseman needs to continue hitting well.”

The Hitting Logjam

Goldschmidt signed with the Yankees on a one-year, $12.5 million deal this offseason and was seen as a bridge piece who could split time with Rice before eventually handing over the reins. However, the 37-year-old’s resurgent campaign (.351 batting average, .879 OPS, 151 OPS+) and stellar defense at the three have made him an invaluable piece of this 2025 squad.

New York could still use the pitching support, and Goldschmidt’s pending free agency makes him a viable trade candidate, regardless of his stellar production.

Here is what Chris Kirschner of The Athletic had to say on the Yankees’ Rice dilemma, who, like Goldschmidt, is too good to waste on the bench:

“That means the Yankees would have to figure out how to get Rice consistent at-bats if he’s continuing to hit as he has. Those conversations are already happening behind the scenes. Catching coordinator Tanner Swanson has been pushing Boone to get Rice more reps behind the plate. He believes Rice could start for at least 10 MLB teams. He also believes that with more game reps, his defense would become more advanced. There were questions about Austin Wells’ defense when he made his MLB debut, and now he’s considered an above-average defender. Swanson also believes Rice’s bat is ‘too advanced’ to ever send him back down to Triple A.”

“He’s right. There are ways to get Rice in the lineup even if everyone is healthy whenever Stanton returns. He could catch at least two times a week, if they trust his defense. He could start at first base at least twice a week; Paul Goldschmidt’s wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers was 86 entering Wednesday’s game. He could also DH twice a week, as Stanton won’t play every day.”

Potential Platoon Solution

Another hopeful idea is that the Yankees could teach Rice third base with the gaping hole in production from the hot corner. This would be a tall ask as Rice, a natural catcher, is still progressing as a first baseman and can not turn into a super utility man overnight.

A first base/catcher/DH rotation of Rice, Goldschmidt, Austin Wells, and Stanton is the most likely and efficient course of action. This would provide Boone with plenty of platoon options and pinch hitters to mix and match.

Stanton is incapable of playing the outfield at this point in his career, and even once healthy, there are plenty of concerns about his durability.

It is still a good problem to have, but Boone and New York will need to be meticulous in their approach. Perhaps a Goldschmidt slump will entice the front office to ship him for pitching. But sacrificing his talents and relying on a healthy Stanton feels irresponsible.

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