On one of his first days calling the shots for the Arizona Diamondbacks, former general manager Dave Stewart, who earned a reputation as a steely-eyed, no-nonsense starting pitcher, beamed as he talked about the first baseman he inherited. Stewart described how every morning he could wake up and “know the sun is brighter because Paul Goldschmidt is on my team.”
In a move several weeks in the making and several years in the chasing, the Cardinals acquired six-time All-Star Goldschmidt from Arizona in a four-player trade finalized Wednesday afternoon. Goldschmidt, 31, will anchor the infield as a Gold Glove-winning first baseman and add the desired name-brand fear factor to the Cardinals’ lineup as a perennial MVP candidate.