NEW YORK — Luke Voit said that his comments about deserving playing time earlier this week were just a little “positive reinforcement.” Friday night, the slugger doubled down on that positive reinforcement. He led the offense with four hits, including a home run, as the Yankees beat up on the Twins, 10-2, at Yankee Stadium.
Voit continued his hot streak with three hits and three RBIs Friday, making more of a case to keep finding playing time for him even with the addition of lefty slugging first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Aaron Judge hit his 27th homer of the season and DJ LeMahieu hit his first home run since June 26.
Nestor Cortes picked up his second win in seven starts this season, his sixth allowing two runs or less. The 26-year old lefty went a career-high seven innings striking out a career-high tying seven. He gave up a two-run homer to Josh Donaldson, the only mark on his night.
That combined to give the Yankees’ their season-high eighth straight win, the longest since winning 10 straight last September. That guarantees at least a split of this four-game series with the Twins.
Voit had two singles, a double and a home run in his second career four-hit game, one shy of his career-high five-hit game against the Mariners in July. He drove in four runs, the fourth time in his career, two shy of his career high.
Voit is on a little hot streak of his own as he is trying to prove himself. He’s hit in six straight games. Over that span he is 11 for 22 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
That is probably a bigger statement than his words Tuesday, which seemed to rub some in the baseball world the wrong way.
When asked about his comments earlier this week, where he pointed out that he led the league in home runs and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting last season, Voit said it was nothing personal.
It was a reminder.
“Just a little positive reinforcement,” Voit said with a smile about his remarks.” Obviously I think Anthony’s a great guy and it was nothing bad towards him. He’s a great player, I just, just feel like I deserve a chance to play too. I know I’ve been hurt, but I deserve a chance too.”
Voit had three previous good seasons with the Yankees, slashing .273/.364/.520 with an .866 OPS in four seasons, and was crucial last season when he led the majors with 22 home runs during the coronavirus-abbreviated 60-game season.
And still the Yankees were trying to trade him over the winter and while he was out rehabbing a knee that he needed surgery on this spring, they went out and replaced him with an All-Star, lefty-hitting first baseman.
“I was top 10 (in) MVP (voting) last year, and I’ve been a great player for this organization for the last three years. I’m not going down. I want to play obviously, I know, it’s gonna be tough with Rizzo. But, I deserve to play just as much as he does,” Voit said. “I led the league in home runs last year, and I feel really good again. And, obviously the injury bug hit me and I am the reason he’s here, because of me. But obviously, I hope ( manager Aaron Boone) can do whatever you can to try to get me some consistent at-bats.”
Voit, who is only in his first year of arbitration eligibility and under team control through 2024, has always felt he had to prove himself for his spot in the lineup.
And he knows he is fighting for it now, whether it be with the Yankees this season or possibly with another team if the Yankees, who openly talked about trading him last winter, decide to pursue Rizzo, who is a free agent after this season, long-term. Or if they make a move for a shortstop and move Gleyber Torres to second base and DJ LeMahieu to first.
Voit knows he’s always auditioning.
“I wasn’t a first-round pick, so I had to do it through the mineos and everything.I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder honestly,” Voit said. “So like I wasn;t getting comfortable anything but I just want to play and that’s the biggest thing.
“And hey, I’m gonna do whatever I can, whether that’s pinch hitting or, DH-ing or playing first or who knows. ... I am going to do whatever I can to help this team get to the playoffs. I just want to win.”
