Paul Goldschmidt's pregame position switch is so crazy it might just work for Yankees

When the Yankees signed veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt back in December, expectations varied. The 2022 NL MVP had just finished up the worst season of his career, batting .245 with a .716 OPS, a mark over 100 points lower than his previous career-worst. Still, Brian Cashman and the rest of the Yankees front office felt there was more left in Goldschmidt, as he had started to put it together a little bit towards the end of 2024 after a truly abysmal start.

So far, the Yankees are being proven right. Goldschmidt seems to have taken inspiration from the new blockbuster movie starring John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, as he has found his way to the Fountain of Youth. The 37-year-old has turned back the clock, hitting .323 with an .850 OPS, the highest mark he has had since his aforementioned MVP season three seasons ago.

What's perhaps been most impressive about Goldschmidt is his all-around versatility. In the field he has been solid, showing why he has won four Gold Gloves throughout his illustrious career.

On the offensive side of the ball, he has not only put up fantastic numbers, but he has helped at various spots throughout the order. He hits leadoff against left-handed pitching, cleans up against right-handed pitching, and fills in wherever else he is needed.

Aaron Boone has asked the veteran to do a variety of new things this year, and he has flourished thus far. But, Boone might about to ask Goldschmidt to do something unheard of.

Goldschmidt was recently seen taking some pre-game reps at second base, working on his feeds to the shortstop covering the bag. To be fair to him, he looked pretty solid. Yankees fans have found out pretty quickly this year that, despite his age, Goldschmidt moves pretty well on his feet.

Yankees might be pondering short-term Paul Goldschmidt position switch to help lineup

In a perfect world, Boone could get Goldy some reps and all would be well and good for when Stanton returns, as Goldy would shift over to second with Ben Rice at first and Stanton at DH. This way, the selection dilemma of Rice and Stanton wouldn't be an issue. However, the likelihood of this happening? Pretty low.

Players often take reps at random positions just to have a good time. As fans, we often forget these guys are still humans who like to mess around and just enjoy being on the baseball field. For instance, just last week, Ben Rice was spotted taking grounders at third. Even Rafael Devers of the Red Sox, who has been adamant about his unwillingness to switch positions several times throughout the year, was seen getting some reps in at shortstop.

It's a long season, and the players often find unique ways to entertain themselves. However, if Goldschmidt could actually move to second base, Yankees fans would be all for it. Seeing a guy play a position he has never even logged an inning at during a career that has spanned 15 years would be absolutely remarkable.

However, it is almost guaranteed this will not happen. DJ LeMahieu is getting the bulk of the reps at second base at the moment, and he has showed signs of a resurgence. Plus, Goldschmidt has been playing so well we doubt Boone would want to do anything to mess with his game.

Nevertheless, it is quite amusing to imagine Goldschmidt making a jumping throw across his body from behind second base. What a thought.