Not that they really need them, but reinforcements are on the way for the Yankees.
Slugging first baseman Luke Voit, who has been on the shelf with a hernia since July 30, said Friday he’s eyeing a late-August return after avoiding a potentially season-ending surgery.
Voit, 28, has been cleared by the Yankees for baseball activities and is expected to shake off the cobwebs in a handful of rehab starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre next week.
"I know I'm going there to take BP and do baseball activities, kind of like Spring Training, I guess," Voit said (via Yankees.com). "It's just getting used to taking BP every day, grounders, getting workouts and everything. Then I'll play Thursday or Friday."
Luke Voit working at 1st base.
— Pete Caldera (@pcaldera) August 16, 2019
Also working on his hoop skills. pic.twitter.com/ru4GiKlA8v
Voit was enjoying a career year before the hernia slashing .278/.392/.493 with 19 home runs, 16 doubles and 54 RBIs in 94 games. He said he’s pinpointed a return to the big club Aug. 30 when the Yankees begin a six-game homestand.
"We've been really excited about Luke over the last week, realizing that he's going to be able to get back," manager Aaron Boone said.
New York has gotten along just fine without Voit and fellow injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton in recent weeks as they own the best record in the American League (82-42) and a 10 1/2-game lead over the Rays in the AL East.