Luke Voit’s nightmare 2021 might have just ended in fitting fashion.
The Yankees announced Thursday afternoon that Voit, the 2020 major league home run leader, would go on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his left knee, which was surgically repaired in the spring.
Voit hasn’t started a game since Sept. 22. In Wednesday night’s 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Voit pinch hit and struck out and looked to be in pain as he ran to first base as the third strike evaded Toronto catcher Reese McGuire (although he couldn’t have reached the base safely anyway).
“He woke up pretty stiff today, and he’s limping around pretty good today,” Aaron Boone said, before the Yankees concluded their series with the Jays. “I think he just kind of aggravated it when he slammed on the brakes there. We think it’s kind of that bone bruise that can be a result of that surgery that’s kind of been off and on for him. So we’ll get more tests when we get back to New York and see what we’re dealing with.”
This marks Voit’s fourth visit to the IL this year. While he could return in the playoffs if the Yankees advance far enough depending on what the tests show, he finishes the regular season with a .239/.328/.437 slash line, homering 11 times in 213 at-bats. He recorded an identical 213 at-bats during the COVID-shortened 2020 schedule and went deep 22 times.
All of Joey Gallo’s tests on his left forearm, which was hit by a Tim Mayza fastball on Wednesday, came back clean, Boone said, although the Yankees didn’t start the lefty swinger against Toronto southpaw Robbie Ray.
“We got good news there,” Boone said. “He’s feeling a lot better today. He was able to go through his pregame routine and everything, so he’ll be an active player for us.”
For the fourth straight time, Kyle Higashioka started at catcher with Corey Kluber on the mound, with Gary Sanchez starting at designated hitter as Giancarlo Stanton moved to left field to cover for Gallo’s absence.
