Yankees already proving they crushed the trade deadline, but what now for Luke Voit?

anthony rizzo, yankees

In just two games, the New York Yankees are already enjoying new acquisition Anthony Rizzo and his talents. Wearing pinstripes, Rizzo has four hits and two homers, exactly what the Yankees needed and desired when they traded away several high-profile prospects in return for the slugging first baseman.

On the season, Rizzo is hitting .256 with a .470 slugging percentage, including 16 homers and 42 RBIs. However, he seems to be reinvigorated, smashing homers to help the Yankees climb back in the AL East standings. His future on the team is in question since he’s in the final year of a seven-year contract, but after Saturday’s victory, the Bombers are just 2.5 games back in the Wild Card, well within range of a playoff appearance.

In the AL East, the Bombers are 7.0 games back, as the Tampa Bay Rays have stolen first place from the Boston Red Sox. Boston and Tampa are going head to head, with one more game in a series to determine who retains the first spot in the division.

As for the Yankees, they have several players working their way back from injury, one of which is Luke Voit, who is traditionally their first baseman.

Luke Voit is currently on his third injured list stint this year, which is what sparked a move by the Yankees to bolster first base.

“There’s no question,” Boone said. “But in the end he’s a pro. I know he’s worked his tail off the last couple of days to make sure he’s continuing to physically get ready and prepared to take his at-bats. I’m sure there’s some frustration there because I know he wants to be here right now. But that’s all part of things you’ve got to deal with that are sometimes out of your control as a pro.”

I would expect to see Voit in the designated hitter role when Stanton is featuring in the outfield, which will hopefully be more frequent. There is no reason to leave Voit and his quality bat hanging in the reserves, especially if the Yankees determine he is 100% healthy. We haven’t seen the last of Luke, and he’s likely chomping at the bit to make a return.