Mets slugging first baseman opts for free agency

mlb: milwaukee brewers at colorado rockies, luke voit, mets

May 3, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Luke Voit (45) leans away from a pitch in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets Luke Voit experiment has come to an end. According to Mike Mayer of Mesmerized, Voit has opted out of his contract to pursue opportunities with other teams.

Voit’s baseball journey so far

Voit’s major league journey started in 2013 when the St. Louis Cardinals took him in the 22nd round of the MLB draft. He spent four years in the minor leagues before being called up on June 25, 2017. After being called up, Voit played 62 games, hitting .246 with four home runs and 18 RBIs.

In 2018 the Missouri native spent most of the first half in the minor leagues before being dealt alongside bonus pool money to the New York Yankees. The Yankees gave him a chance to play daily, and Voit delivered.  Playing in 39 games with the blue and white, Voit hit .333 with 14 home runs and 33 RBIs. 

Voit entered 2019 as the Yankees starting first baseman, but injuries limited him to 118 games, where he hit .263 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs.

In 2020 Voit had his best year as a pro. In the Covid-shortened 60-game season, Voit hit a major league-leading 22 home runs with 52 RBIs. Unfortunately, Voit would not reach that production level again with the Yankees, as an injury-riddled 2021 led to him being shipped to San Diego the following offseason. 

Voit has bounced around recently, playing for the Washington Nationals and the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2023 for the Brewers, Voit batted .221 with no home runs and four RBIs before being designated for assignment in late May.

Voit’s time with the Mets organization

The Missouri native reported to Triple-A Syracuse and performed quite nicely. In 37 games, Voit slashed .264./.415/.643 with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs while boasting an incredible 1.058 OPS.

Unfortunately for Voit, Alonso’s speedy return from his wrist injury, combined with the log jam of players on the big league roster that would be the designated hitter, left the 32-year-old stuck in the minor leagues.

What does this mean for the Mets?

Following the fire sale that was the 2023 trade deadline, many, including Voit, probably thought that the Missouri native would be returning to the Major Leagues. However, when that did not happen, he opted for a fresh start, and with his recent numbers should easily find a team that wants some more power in their lineup.

This does reveal that Daniel Vogelbach is here to stay. Many fans had been clamoring for him to be designated for assignment but with his straightforward replacement in Voit going elsewhere, Vogelbach will be in the Mets, one of many names moved around in the lineup for the remainder of 2023.

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