ESPN: D-backs contemplating a Paul Goldschmidt trade this offseason

Heading into the final year of a long-term contract, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has continuously had his name tossed around in trade conversations since the beginning of the offseason.

There’s been no clear indication regarding general manager Mike Hazen’s plan for Goldschmidt this winter, but reports of an impending trade have become increasingly louder. After missing the playoffs with a final record of 82-80, the possibility of a rebuild in Arizona is on the forefront of discussions.

ESPN senior writer Buster Olney discussed the prospect of Arizona moving on from their franchise star in a recent piece entitled “Diamondbacks seriously considering dealing Paul Goldschmidt” on Sunday.

As has been reported before, the Diamondbacks are open to dealing the first baseman — and, in the eyes of some rival evaluators, they are intent on moving him as they enter a period of rebuilding.

But as great as Goldschmidt was over the last three-quarters of the season, the market conditions are not optimal for the Diamondbacks to move him.

Olney goes on to discuss the intricacies of the current MLB trade market as established by similar deals accepted by Pittsburgh and Baltimore in recent seasons.

In his eighth season as a pro, Goldschmidt tallied 172 hits for 95 runs in 690 plate appearances. He finished the year with a final WAR of 5.4 and an OPS of 92.2 percent

Most of the league’s top contenders already have elite first baseman on serviceable contracts, so Goldschmidt’s market-value is lower than it may have been a year ago.

It’ll be difficult to move Goldschmidt for proper value since teams are weary to give away assets for a player on a one-year deal. One suitor that has a history of acquiring impending free agents is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been linked to Goldschmidt in trade rumors on more than one occasion.