Paul Goldschmidt put on a show in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The veteran first baseman hit for a .317 average and crushed 35 home runs, while also driving in 115 runs.
That was enough to earn the slugger MVP honors in the National League, as he edged out both Manny Machado and his Cardinals teammate in Nolan Arenado.
One of many defining moments of Goldschmidt’s season was his walk-off grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 23.
With the game tied at three in the bottom of the tenth inning, Goldschmidt sent one over the left field wall to win the game for the Cardinals by a final score of 7-3.
2022 was Goldy's year. This was one of, and maybe, my favorite moment by the NL MVP. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/kAaweYKM9R
— Cardinals Dude (@Turn2Dude) December 31, 2022
The Cardinals won the NL Central thanks in large part to the contributions of Goldschmidt.
That, combined with an MVP-caliber season from Arenado and a second-half surge by the retiring Albert Pujols, gave fans in St. Louis a season worth remembering.
Goldschmidt, 35, was acquired by the Cardinals after the 2018 season and later extended through 2024.
The trade has worked out quite well for St. Louis as of now.
The Cardinals now feature a lineup with three proven power hitters in the middle of the order, those being Goldschmidt, Arenado, and the newly signed Willson Contreras.
Led by Goldschmidt, the Cardinals found themselves in the top five in the National League in runs scored in 2022.
The Cardinals will hope for a repeat performance from the 35-year-old.
The slugger was also the starting first baseman on the National League All-Star squad.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!