Goldschmidt’s $20M signing bonus to be paid through 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt’s $144.5 million, six-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals includes a $20 million signing bonus to be paid over the next five years.

Goldschmidt had a $14.5 million salary this season in the option year of a contract he signed with Arizona ahead of the 2013 season. That deal originally guaranteed the first baseman $32.5 million for six years and will wind up paying $46 million for seven seasons, including a $1 million assignment bonus for the trade.

His new deal, announced last weekend, calls for signing bonus payments of $2.25 million each Jan. 15 and July 15 in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024, and $1 million on Jan. 15 and July 15 in 2022.

Goldschmidt keeps the $14.5 million salary this season and gets $22 million annually from 2021-24.

He would earn a $1.5 million bonus for MVP, $1 million for second, $500,000 for third, $250,000 for fourth or fifth, and $100,000 for sixth through 10th. He would get $250,000 for becoming an All-Star, $250,000 for a Gold Glove, $50,000 for a Silver Slugger, $100,000 for World Series MVP and $150,000 for World Series MVP. He would get $50,000 for Division Series MVP is the award is established and he wins it.

Acquired in December from Arizona, the six-time All-Star first baseman gave up a chance to become a free agent after this season.