Luke Voit clamored for playing time when he returned from his third IL stint earlier this month, and he continues to back up that expression of self-belief.
Starting in his first game in nearly five days, Voit smashed a home run to help power the Yankees to their 13th straight win, raising his batting average to .309 since returning from a knee injury on Aug. 8.
Voit is in a new role with the arrival of the defensively superior Anthony Rizzo at first base, but he is now swinging the bat like he did in 2020, when he led the league in home runs, and he is ready to thrive in any role.
“I want to do whatever I can to help this team achieve greatness,” Voit said. “Coming back all these times, I was still not 100 percent, and fighting through stuff. I finally feel great and I’m healthy. I had to work on mechanical stuff to get me back to where I want to be, and I feel good right now.”
Voit has hit five home runs in his 17 games since coming back from the IL, but with Rizzo in the fold, he came off the bench in the Yankees’ previous three games. But that clearly didn’t slow him down.
If becoming a more regular designated hitter is what it will take for Voit to get more at-bats, then he’ll take it. Clearly, as the last three weeks have shown, he really doesn’t mind it.
“I actually enjoy DHing,” Voit said. “I think a lot of guys can look at the video too much and maybe take some extra swings…whatever role I get put in with Boonie, DH doesn’t bother me. I’m gonna get a lot more ABs in that role anyway, so I’ll be prepared for it.
“If I gotta go play first or pinch hit like I did the three previous games, I’ve done it my whole career. So DHing, I enjoy it.”
Voit has made some adjustments at the plate since making his return, which have clearly led to better results after a slow and staggered start to the season. He is looking like the slugger that led the league in home runs last season, and like a bonafide power threat that Aaron Boone will have to find regular at-bats down the stretch.
“I was dipping my back shoulder and it was causing me to fall forward,” Voit said. “Started swinging out of the zone and missing pitches that I usually don’t. It was about getting my shoulders on tilt and getting me in a good position so I could see the baseball.”
Those adjustments have paid dividends, and after three straight games of coming off the bench, Voit thrived in a starting role on Friday night, which has to be a welcomed sight for Boone, who now knows Voit can produce in any kind of role that the team needs.
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