Yankees’ Luke Voit extends hot streak with one of four home runs
Luke Voit was already 27-and-a-half years old when he finally got his big, big-league break, with about 2,000 minor league at-bats on his career odometer – toiling in the St. Louis Cardinals system.
Add in what we know about Voit’s high-voltage drive and personality, and you understand a few things.
- He wasn’t planning to ever see another moonlight in Memphis.
- And he wasn’t going to come out of the lineup despite a few aches and pains, unless there was absolutely no way he could play.
In 2019, Voit tried to play through an abdominal strain until it graduated into a sports hernia.
This spring, Voit’s left knee commanded attention and eventually surgery to repair a torn meniscus, just days before the season opener.
That knee wouldn’t stop barking, though.
Swinging away, free and easy
Voit finally required another injury-list stint before he could plant his front leg like an iron post and swing with the ferocity that made him last year’s MLB home run leader.
“I finally feel great, and I’m healthy,’’ said Voit, after the Yankees’ winning streak had reached 13 with Friday night’s 8-2 win against the reeling Athletics.
As the designated hitter, Voit belted one of four Yankees home runs Friday, extending his personal hot streak as the Yanks’ winning streak reached a level the franchise hadn’t seen since 1961.
Over his last 11 games through Friday, Voit was slashing .452/.528/.935, with three doubles, four homers and 14 RBI since Aug. 15.
Voit is swinging “as good as I’ve seen him at any point this year,’’ said manager Aaron Boone. “(He’s) not just going up there and wailing away or trying to ambush.
“He’s in a good spot foundationally (and) every at-bat, he’s on stuff, he’s getting into good counts, on time, balanced.
“And when he does that, he’s very dangerous.’’
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Voit’s new world
A few things had changed when Voit was about to come off the IL for the second time.
The Yankees had transformed from a team barely over .500 to a club that was squarely in the pennant race.
And part of that upswing was the acquisition of Anthony Rizzo, imported from the Chicago Cubs – and off to a scorching start with his new club – to play Voit’s position, first base.
Somehow, Voit was still a Yankee at the trade deadline and there was no place for the hulking, right-handed slugger whose knee had so limited him…
That is, until Rizzo went on the COVID IL and Voit replaced him on the roster, Aug. 9.
Now, Rizzo is back and Voit is mainly finding at-bats as a DH, given the surging Giancarlo Stanton’s ability now to play part-time as a corner outfielder.
“I don’t mind it, I actually enjoy DH-ing,’’ Voit said before serving as Saturday’s DH at Oakland Coliseum. “But whatever the role I kind of get put in, the DH-ing thing doesn’t bother me.
“I’m probably going to get more at-bats in that spot anyway, so (I’ll) be prepared for it.’’
Playing up to standards
Voit made a few mechanical adjustments, too, getting himself in a better spot to see pitches.
“There’s a lot of guys that get on base in front of my, and I’ve got to do my job driving them in,’’ said Voit, in a better position to that because he’s healthy and his knees are stable.
As a result, his shoulders are better aligned and he’s no longer falling forward and swinging out of the zone as much, or missing pitches to drive.
“(I’m) pretty good at swinging at strikes,’’ said Voit, now finding himself in better counts, staying longer on his back leg and “being able to react and read what pitches are coming.’’
As for the lineup’s depth and production as a whole, “this is what we thought we were going to do all year,’’ Voit said. “We’re scoring runs early and we’re taking a lot off our own pitchers.
“It’s been clicking right now.’’
Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @pcaldera
