The Yankees will miss Luke Voit’s impact during the first month of the season, both on and off the field

New York Yankees, Luke Voit
Jun 14, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Luke Voit (45) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Over the weekend, it was reported that New York Yankees’ first baseman Luke Voit is dealing with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, an injury that has been bothering in spring training, and he elected to have surgery to repair it and join his teammates in May.

Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone explained that Voit will spend three weeks rehabbing while doing no baseball activities, so he expects to have one of his most valuable sluggers back well before June.

Several Yankees’ teammates talked about how Voit will be missed dearly when he is away, both on and off the field. The performance is obvious to the naked eye: the first baseman paced Major League Baseball in home runs last season with 22, and hit .277 with 52 RBI.

But fellow Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge, in a chat with MLB.com, talked about how Voit is always lifting and motivating his teammates.

A “big part” of the Yankees

“Luke is a big part of this team, a big part of this offense,” said outfielder Aaron Judge. “He brings a lot to the table, a guy that’s going to hit in the middle of this lineup, hits for power and uses the whole field. He’s a vocal guy in the clubhouse and gets us motivated, so we’re going to be missing out on that for at least a month.”

As a result of Voit’s injury, first baseman/outfielder Jay Bruce made the Yankees’ roster.

“I’m extremely excited about making the team,” Bruce said. “Obviously, Luke’s injury is disheartening for everyone. I wish him a speedy and full recovery. I had meniscus surgery in 2014, so I know what he’s going through right now. He’s a big part of this team. My goal is not to come here to replace Luke Voit, it’s to be Jay Bruce and help the team.”