The New York Yankees announced on Tuesday that first baseman Luke Voit began a rehab assignment with the team’s triple-A affiliate in Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
Voit was lost just before the start of the 2021 season when it was discovered that he tore the meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery shortly after the campaign began.
It was a sizable blow for the Yankees after Voit put up a career season in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He led the majors with 22 home runs in just 56 games. His previous career-high was 21 round-trippers in 118 games with the Yankees in 2019.
In his absence, the Yankees initially tried to put veteran outfielder Jay Bruce at first, but major struggles at the plate prompted his retirement last month. That forced manager Aaron Boone to go with DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford at the position.
His reintroduction to the Yankees’ lineup would provide a considerable boost considering New York ranks eighth-worst in the majors in average runs per game despite being tied eighth in the league in home runs.
