BALTIMORE — Miguel Andujar has never played first base in a professional game. But the Yankees are getting him ready in case there’s a need.
With starting first baseman Luke Voit likely sidelined at least another week, if not two, as he recovers from surgery that repaired his left meniscus, Andujar will work out mostly at first base this week, manager Aaron Boone said.
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Andujar, a natural third baseman, has had to expand his defensive skillset after Gio Urshela took his job in 2019 — a year after Andujar was the American League Rookie of the Year runner-up. The Yankees activated him from the 10-day injured list (right wrist carpel tunnel) Sunday and he flew from the team’s player development facility in Tampa to Moosic, Pa., the home of the Yankees’ alternate site.
Andujar will also see time in left field, Boone said.
“He’ll still be bouncing around,” Boone told reporters before Monday night’s game vs. the Orioles at Camden Yards. “Because he hasn’t done a ton of first base and with (Mike) Ford being up here and with Voit having not started games down there yet, it’s probably a good week to get him some first base reps where he can get regular reps there and as the rosters change or whatever and Voit starts taking at-bats along with (Chris) Gittens, then we’ll start getting him more regular reps at third base, even left field a little bit. But this first week, there will be a little of a focus in his work on first base.”
As for Voit, he’s making progress, Boone said.
“He is hitting,” Boone said. “He’s actually running outside (Monday) for the first time. He was up to like 95% on the (anti-gravity treadmill) sprinting. So he’s ready to take that next step and be outside. I’m not sure exactly when he’ll have live at-bats. But, yes, he is essentially going and really starting to ramp up now.”
Voit lead MLB in home runs in 2020 with 22 in the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season.
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