JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt wanted to stay in St. Louis, just like Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds and Matt Holliday.
Acquired in December from Arizona, Goldschmidt gave up a chance to become a free agent after this season when he finalized a new contract with the Cardinals that guarantees an additional $130 million from 2020-24.
Goldschmidt has a $14.5 million salary this season in the option year of a contract he signed with Arizona ahead of the 2013 season. That deal originally guaranteed $32.5 million for six years and will wound up paying $46 million for seven seasons, including a $1 million assignment bonus for the trade.
McGwire was acquired from Oakland in July 1997 and agreed two months later to a $28.5 million, three-year contract rather than test the market. Edmonds was obtained from the Angels in March 2000 and reached a $57 million, six-year deal that May. Holliday arrived in a swap with the Athletics in July 2009, became a free agent and agreed in February to a $120 million, seven-year deal.
St. Louis got Goldschmidt in exchange for pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly and minor leaguer Andy Miller. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said he originally expected to try to negotiate the deal during the season. After Mozeliak learned a few weeks ago that Goldschmidt would be receptive to a new deal, talks progressed.
A six-time All-Star, Goldschmidt has four three Gold Gloves. He is a career .297 hitter with 209 homers.
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