Breaking: St. Louis 4 Key mans set to hit free agency at the end of the….
Breaking: St. Louis 4 Key mans set to hit free agency at the end of the….
The St. Louis Cardinals have a big decision to make in the not-so-distant future.
St. Louis star Paul Goldschmidt is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2024 season. Goldschmidt was mentioned in trade rumors throughout the 2023 season but ultimately remained with the club despite St. Louis being big sellers ahead of the trade deadline.
There also has been plenty of speculation that the two sides could agree to a contract extension this offseason that would tie Goldschmidt to St. Louis likely for the rest of his career. At this point, it’s unclear what will happen but it sounds like an extension certainly is a possibility.
Cardinals insider Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat made five bold predictions for St. Louis this offseason and mentioned a two-year contract extension could be a possibility with Goldschmidt.
“Goldschmidt is due to hit free agency next winter, but there’s every appetite on all fronts for him to finish his career in St. Louis. Still, thanks to last season’s team-wide debacle, there appears to be no rush to finish things this winter. Spring would be a natural time for those discussions to pick up, but they may well stretch into the season.
“Matt Carpenter’s last extension in St. Louis is a looming cautionary tale but also a reasonable model if scaled up to account for Goldschmidt’s historical successes. He turns 37 in September, so a deal which takes him to the cusp of 40 – and perhaps through 40 if, say, he hits a certain threshold for plate appearances – would make sense for both sides.”
While this isn’t reporting that extension talks are ongoing, it at least is positive to see an insider mentioning a new contract as a possibility. Goldschmidt had a down year in 2023 but won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2022.
Goldschmidt is a major part of the Cardinals and at this point, it would be extremely surprising to see him playing elsewhere.
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Major changes coming to MLB uniforms for St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2024
MLB uniforms for several franchises will look a bit different in 2024 due to some new guidelines from Nike.
The infusion of changes — in what is usually a very traditional sport — is an attempt to modernize and add a fresh look for teams hoping to set a tone for the coming season. It also helps that the growth of MLB merchandise has spiked in recent years, driven by both higher domestic and international sales.
The league recognizes the injection of fashion into its uniforms and the addition of more merchandise for fans is paying off. Following some new guidelines set by Nike, let’s take a look at the most significant design changes fans will see with Spring Training right around the corner.
For 2024, Nike, the official uniform provider to MLB, is updating the uniforms for all 30 teams. The front numbers on all jerseys will now have a height of four inches, while the back numbers will be standardized at eight inches. The lettering for player’s names on the back (NOB) will also be resized to a height of 2.5 inches.
In addition to these changes, all home white jerseys are transitioning from a more bright shade of white to an ever so slightly off-white tone. These alterations in color and size for numbers and lettering represent updates aimed at revitalizing the appearance of MLB team uniforms.
Leading the charge in 2024 are the Arizona Diamondbacks. On the heels of its World Series appearance, Arizona unveiled four brand-new uniform designs. The Diamondbacks’ new uniform sets infuse a twist while keeping elements of their aesthetic intact.
The Diamondbacks uniforms for 2024 combine elements from the past with a twist. The home uniform has a timeless off-white color to the original one from 1998 with baseball piping and the Sedona Red “A” logo outlined in teal. It also features the snakehead on the sleeve and can be paired with either a Sedona Red cap with a black brim or a black cap both emphasizing the “A” logo.
The home black alternate uniform follows tradition incorporating teal piping and displaying the Sedona Red “A” logo on the chest. The team has the choice of white or road grey pants to go along with it as well as a black cap adorned with the “A” logo.
On the other hand, both road grey and road Sedona Red alternate uniforms offer a more striking appearance. The road grey uniform showcases a Sedona Red “Arizona” wordmark outlined in teal and features the snakehead on its sleeve. It can be matched with road grey pants. Is complemented by a black cap that has a Sedona Red brim and displays a retro “D” logo.
The Sedona Red alternate version of the road uniform brings back the Diamondbacks’ wordmark in black with a teal outline. It showcases teal and black braiding on the sleeves and neckline well as teal numbers on the front. This uniform can be paired with either road grey or off-white pants. The team will either wear a black “D” logo cap or an all-Sedona Red cap featuring the throwback logo.