The Yankees are bringing back Anthony Rizzo, which means Luke Voit’s pinstriped tenure could be nearing an end.
Voit, at the center of trade speculation since last season, when the Bombers traded for Rizzo before the deadline, is keeping his focus on the here and now, but understands that a change can be coming.
“I know they want to be left handed so I get it,” Voit told reporters on Wednesday, via Sports Illustrated. “I know we've been pretty righty dominant, that's what [Brian Cashman's] job is, this is a business, I get it. He brought me over here for a reason and obviously, I guess that reason isn't what it used to be.”
Cashman and the Yanks seemed to make it a point to balance their righty-heavy lineup in 2021, trading for both Rizzo and outfielder Joey Gallo, and have since brought in catcher Ben Rortvedt to platoon with Kyle Higashioka. That reasoning would be interesting considering Voit’s career OPS against righties is 10 points higher (.869) than his career output against lefties (.859), and only 14 percent of his fly balls have been pulled over his career (25 percent of his line drives went to the pull side, but 24 went up the middle and 18 went to the opposite field, per FanGraphs). Still, the Yankees appear to be moving on.
“Obviously, everyone saw the speculation, so you guys got it right,” Voit said. “Especially after last year happened, I’m not surprised. I had a coach in the minors that always told me that you're always playing for 29 other teams. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing, be ready for whatever happens. Right now, I'm a New York Yankee.
“This is the best place to play baseball. Who knows, maybe I'll still be here, but I have no idea.”
Voit said he heard manager Aaron Boone’s comments on Tuesday that Voit was the starting third baseman, but knew that could change, especially after Boone said Gio Urshela was the shortstop just hours before he was traded for a package that included new shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa. If it is the end of Voit’s tenure in New York, it would have been an eventful one that included a surprising burst onto the scene down the stretch of 2018 after being acquired from the Cardinals, and Voit proved to be no fluke in 2019 before a core injury halted his productive season. The injuries continued in the form of a foot issue in 2020, though Voit limped through it and led the league in homers before four different IL stints derailed his 2021 campaign.
Of course, Voit could return in a depth role, and he says he feels healthy again, but he might not get another chance in pinstripes.
“I’m still wearing pinstripes, so my job is to come in and…I guess we’ll see what happens,” Voit said. “That’s all I can control.
“I'm just going to stay positive. I have no idea what's going to happen.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch