After the New York Yankees signed Anthony Rizzo to a two-year contract to lock down the first base position, Luke Voit requested a trade to a team that would give him regular playing time. Voit ended up joining the San Diego Padres, who are tied for first in the NL West along with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres have won 40 games this season and Voit has made 45 appearances.
Over 192 plate appearances, Voit is hitting .237 with a 31.8% on-base rate and eight homers. He currently hosts his highest strikeout rate at 32.8% but still showcases the normal power he displayed with the Bombers.
On Thursday, Voit stated that Manny Machado was the best player he’d ever played with but threw Aaron Judge into the mix as well.
“I’ve obviously played with some great guys in St. Louis and New York, but he’s definitely the best player I’ve played with. I’d say him and Aaron Judge are two of the best players obviously in the game.”
Luke Voit on Manny Machado: "I've obviously played with some great guys in St. Louis and New York, but he's definitely the best player I've played with. I'd say him and Aaron Judge are two of the best players obviously in the game."
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) June 16, 2022
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Machado and Judge are both having insane seasons:
Machado is hitting. 322 with 11 homers and 42 RBIs this season, featuring a 40% on-base rate. However, his 17% strikeout and 10.7% walk rates are phenomenal metrics, and he’s also a fantastic defensive player at third base. The 29-year-old is currently on a 10-year, $300 million contract with an opt-out after the 2023 season.
Comparably, Judge is on his way to a lucrative extension after the 2022 campaign. This year, he’s hitting .313 with a 38.4% on-base rate and a league-high 25 homers. Overall, Judge is offering far more production in the home-run category, but Machado is close behind, having arguably his best season as a professional player.
If Judge can keep up this pace, he could earn upward of $35 million per season after turning down a seven-year deal paying him $30.5 million per. It seems as if the big risk will end up paying off in dividends.