The major league leader in home runs in 2020 was Yankee first baseman Luke Voit. He launched 22 homers in that season, shortened by the pandemic to just 60 games. No one else in baseball hit more than 19. He also cut his strikeout rate to 23.1%, just below that year’s league average, after being at 25% or above in his previous three seasons. He finished the year with a batting line of .277/.338/.610 for a wRC+ of 153, indicating he was 53% better than the league average hitter. That number placed him in the top 15 among all qualified hitters that season. He finished ninth in the voting for Most Valuable Player in the American League.
Voit still had four seasons of club control remaining and it seemed like the Yankees had first base figured out for years to come. However, Voit has since entered some choppy waters and has been thrown off course a few times. In 2021, he dealt with knee injuries for much of the year and was only able to play 68 games. He hit .239/.328/.437 when healthy enough to play, producing a wRC+ of 112. That was 12% above league average but a noticeable drop from his monster 2020 showing. His strikeout rate also climbed up to 30.7%. The Yankees acquired Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline and then re-signed him for 2022, replacing Voit at the cold corner. A few days later, Voit was traded to the Padres.
In 2022, he was largely healthy, making one trip to the injured list in late April for a biceps tendon injury but returning just over two weeks later. However, it didn’t result in better production at the plate. In 82 games for the Friars, Voit launched 13 long balls but struck out in 32% of his appearances. His .225/.317/.416 batting line was above league average but only by 10%. At the deadline, he had the misfortune of getting thrown into the Juan Soto trade at the last minute when Eric Hosmer used his limited no-trade clause to keep himself out of it.
Voit spent the second half with the Nats, the worst team in baseball in 2022, and saw his production dip. He still hit another nine home runs in just 53 games but his walk rate slipped from 11.3% as a Padre to just 7.1% as a Nat. His time with Washington resulted in a .228/.295/.381 line and a wRC+ of 90. Voit was set to go through arbitration for the third of four trips this winter as a Super Two player, but the Nationals non-tendered him instead of paying him an $8.2MM salary, per projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
Voit has now been a free agent for about six weeks without much noise surrounding his market. There have been no public reports about any club having interest in signing him. That’s not terribly shocking given his down year, but there are still things he can bring to the table. His Statcast metrics were still strong in 2022, as his barrel rate was in the 94th percentile among qualified hitters, his hard hit rate 73rd, maximum exit velocity 75th and average exit velocity 66th. Though he’s been striking out way too much in the past two seasons, he can still clobber the ball when he does make contact. It’s also possible he could get a boost from the upcoming bans on extreme defensive alignments, as he was one of the most-shifted hitters among the remaining free agents despite being right-handed. Voit actually has reverse splits for his career, with a 110 wRC+ against lefties and a 129 against righties. That could make platoon arrangements difficult but it also means he makes sense to be in a lineup on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, that’s about all he can really offer. He’s certainly not a burner, with his sprint speed in the 6th percentile and just a single stolen base on his career ledger. Defensively, he’s only played first base in the big leagues, apart from a single inning in right field in 2018. All three of Outs Above Average, Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating consider him to have been a below-average defender to this point in his career. He’ll turn 32 in February and is probably unlikely to suddenly turn things around in that department.
There are still some teams that could take a flier on Voit and hope that he looks more like the 2020 version than what he’s shown since. The best candidate would probably be a rebuilding team that would be hoping to turn Voit into a trade candidate on the heels of a resurgence. Since Voit has between four and five years of MLB service time, he could also be controlled for 2024 via arbitration, potentially adding to his appeal if he’s in a good groove. The A’s have Seth Brown at first base but he can also play the outfield. The Marlins are known to be looking for more offense but have the oft-injured Garrett Cooper as their first baseman at the moment. They reportedly pursued players like José Abreu, Justin Turner and Brandon Drury earlier in the offseason but came up short in those attempts. The Tigers will likely give Spencer Torkelson an extended run to show his terrible 2022 was just growing pains, but it would make some sense to have a backup plan in place. The Cubs and Orioles are known to be interested in first base upgrades, having been recently connected to Eric Hosmer.
Though there are plenty of theoretical fits, Voit will also have competition for those jobs. In addition to Hosmer, the free agent market features Trey Mancini, Yuli Gurriel, Brandon Belt, Dominic Smith and others.
towinagain
Padres reunion…please.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Voit makes great balls, let’s hope this one bounces back…
Deadguy
I remember when Voit came up and launched a homerun into big Mac land, the sportscaster on ESPN said “Luke Voit remember the name.” Believe it was Stan. Other than 2020 he hasn’t been that player who mashes like I first anticipated was fairly upset at first when the Cardinals delt him. Durability plays large in MLB
RoadToRio
With the Padres signing Carpenter I think the odds of a reunion with Voit are slim to none.
towinagain
I wouldn’t count it out, as the Pads are in serious need of bench depth. Still no LF in Tatis absence as well. Carpenter doesn’t start at first. Cronenworth, at this point, starts at first but he isn’t a traditional firstbasemen. Voit gives you a starter at first/dh.
thecoffinnail
Voit is atrocious at 1st. He will find a home on a middling team looking for power at DH. Somebody is going to look smart signing him. He has always played his best when he has something to prove. Last season should have put a big chip on his shoulder. The way teams going back to the Cardinals have shown him absolutely no respect baffles me. He had a decent hit tool in the minors and sacrificed it for power with the Yankees. A team with a small ball approach if there is any left would be smart to sign him and let him recover his swing from the minors. The guy has to absolutely hate Matt Carpenter. He blocked him in St. Louis then took his job with the Yankees, now he takes his job with the Padres. If I was Carpenter I would watch out for a bat slipping out of Voit’s hands when whichever team he lands on meets the Padres next year!!
Joe says...
Voit was gone from the Yankees before Carpenter was signed. Rizzo took Voit’s job.
RoadToRio
The Pads do need bench depth, but they really need it in outfield and then catching. If there is anywhere they have depth it is in the infield. I like Luke Voit as a DH but I think he would be 3rd at best as a 1B with their current lineup of shortstop at all infield positions. I think we can agree that LV does not add outfield or catching depth. IIRC the team has about $9M of AAV room before running into the next luxury tax bracket. They have been quiet in the FA market after signing Lugo. I suspect that they want to keep that available for say Cueto/Wacha and/or outfield help depending on the trade market. I know they are free-spending but the movement of 10 draft spots down may be a factor. So that’s why I think Carpenter has comprehensively blocked a return of Voit to the Padres.
Riontyler
Side note regarding the shift ban…Carpenter, should he stay healthy, will surely benefit from the rule. Watching him with the cardinals, once teams started extreme shifting he was either going to hit a home run or be out due to strikes or more likely the shift.
Jm207* 2
Has Voit played any corner outfield? Tigers need someone incase Tork flops again. Maybe he could rotate in at DH with Carpenter.
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
Yes! He can also play right field. It’s amazing, isn’t it? He has played there in the majors. Don’t ask me how long, though. He was even a catcher at one point in the minors. 38% thrown out rate
Lloyd Emerson
If you actually bothered to read the article it tells you exactly how much time he has spent in the outfield as a Major League baseball player.
Jm207* 2
I’m so sorry. I skimmed it. Sorry to ruin your day.
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
I’m joking. I know it was only 1 inning. Also, understand that most articles are written marginally, not all at once. The joke was, “He played right field.” You missed the humor. The link on bref does show how much he played.
CravenMoorehead
225/.317/.416 is now considered “above league average”. Woof.
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
Offense was anemic last year. Thus, the modification of the shift and the baserunning rules. Hopefully, this takes baseball closer to the steroid era. If not, then one of two things must happen to save the sport: use aluminum bats or allow PEDs.
Lloyd Emerson
You didn’t ruin my day. You just made yourself ignorant. Have a nice day.
Jm207* 2
Lloyd, Thank you for teaching me the etiquette of the comment section. I’ll try not disappoint you in the future.
deweybelongsinthehall
You said it Craven.
Viveleempireevil
Dude apologized. Why you gotta do him like that? Just another keyboard badass…
mlb1225
He has years ago, but do you really want to put a guy who had the 32nd slowest sprint speed in baseball last year in the spacious Comerica outfield?
Jm207* 2
I’m up for anything that gets an at least average bat in the lineup. Did you see the teams offense last year? Well, I guess there wasn’t much to be seen actually…
Rsox
Miguel Cabrera will be getting the majority of DH AB’s for the Tigers
Jm207* 2
I doubt he gets more than a game a series. At least, he shouldn’t.
A'sfaninLondonUK
@Jm207* 23
And have people miss out on saying “bye & thank you for all the fish” to Miggy? At least in Detroit even if he gets a call from elsewhere for 2024.
He’ll still sell seats, surely?
Dr2022
He’s a first baseman DH. And he wasn’t particularly good at first base either. I doubt he’d be good in the outfield. And has very limited experience there anyway.
denistaylor
John Sterling was right. Voit should hit his homers in Detroit.
Yankee Clipper
Voit is not a viable OF option. Mickey Mantle had better knees at 60 than Voit does now. He would be incredibly [lower-half] injury prone playing the OF.
He would be a good option for teams looking for an offensive 1Bman or DH. He’s going to be a statue in the field, but performs above average on offense, as the article reflects.
ajrodz1335
Rays should get him. Just do it. He plays 1st and ik he’s a righty but he’s got power and has AL East experience… plus we can find the lefty hitting in the OF/C
ohyeadam
Forget Voit. If you’re gonna go all out go all out, and that’s Miguel Sano. He can be a MVP or he can be a will they just release him already.
DTD/ATL1313
Voit has TB written all over him
Joe says...
Hope the best for Luke. He did have the benefit of playing in a strong lineup with the Yankees but his biggest problem is whenever he gets back from injury he tries too hard to make up for lost time.
Dr2022
Good point Joe. He seems to have lingering health issues that will impact his play going forward also. He was another one of Cashman’s under the radar finds that was highly lauded at the time, but he ultimately fanned out like most of them do.
Yanks2
“But he’s worth a contract because he led the league in homeruns in a half played 2020 season!”
Dr2022
I know you’re joking, but I even thought about Voit for the Yankees briefly. He has shown that if given the chance ,and most importantly is healthy, at least in the past, he can be an impact bat. he will be cheap also, another selling point. Problem is he can only play first, and add that not too well, and there would be no place for him on the team really. Unless Stanton suddenly becomes an outfielder for a good part of the time. Which is unlikely.
Yanks2
They already have Rizzo
Chicken In Philly?
He’a not cheap at 8.2 million. As an arbitration eligible player, you can’t just sign him for anything.
JeffreyChungus
Actually, teams can sign him for anything. He’s a free agent and can sign with anybody who offers him a contract for any amount of money. The 8.2M figure was just an estimate before he got non-tendered, and he would have been tendered or traded if teams thought he was worth 8.2M
Chicken In Philly?
Ahh, right. Just the Nats can’t sign him. It’s such a weird system.
GhostOfKevinElster
I’d love for the Rangers to take a flier. If he David Dahls it up, we can launch him to wherever.
Rsox
The Reds could use him in a DH/1B rotation with Joey Votto (unless that is their plan for Wil Myers, then Voit would be redundant)
The Brewers could use an inexpensive power source to replace Hunter Renfroe and have DH (or First Base) AB’s to give.
The Marlins, Rays, Mariners, Twins, Rockies, Padres all have either 1B or DH AB’s to give as well
jt33nym
Playing in Great American Ball Park would greatly benefit him. Coors Field too
roiste
Rockies have Cron for 1B/DH with Toglia coming up. Kris Bryant would probably also benefit from DH reps. I don’t see a fit for Voit there
RoadToRio
Myers looked pretty good when the Pads played him at 1B at the end of the season last year, better than Voit when he occasionally played that position. I reckon that he would do a good job spelling Votto off for 1B. Luke Voit really needs to be a primary DH. I think that whoever signs him for that role will get an excellent return on investment.
tbone0816
I wouldn’t mind having him at STL with the Cardinals when Goldy needs a day off and be a DH sometimes!!
CardsFan77
Ummm no. We have options and a logjam of players already without adding more problems to the mix.
thecoffinnail
Are you are serious? Brendan Donovan is Goldie’s backup. Did you close your eyes whenever he played 1st last year? I’m surprised he wasn’t traded quickly this offseason for a big arm because they have Burleson and Yepez capable of being the super utility backups plus Redmond and Baker should be ready mid year. Whalen finally woke up and jumped 3 levels last year too. The one thing the Cards don’t need is a backup for 1st.
Poster formerly known as . . .
Luke is the poster boy for the comparative meaninglessness of 2020 stats. To his credit (sort of), 2022 was the first year he wasn’t in the negative range in most defensive metrics. Wherever he lands, they can probably at least count on slightly above league-average offense from him.
StudWinfield
Voit biggest issue is injury. He may have been health enough to not be on the IL but he’s got a big swing and any small impediment is a problem. Had some great stretches of hitting. Not bad scooping throws just don’t ask him to throw or move more than half a step laterally.
RoadToRio
Exactly!
PaulyMidwest
The cubs just need to sign one of the three Mancini,Hosmer or Voit. I prefer Mancini but any of the 3 make the lineup a bit better.
Poster formerly known as . . .
You’d be best off with Mancini. He’s not a butcher in the field.
EasternLeagueVeteran
C’mon Cubs. Make it happen. Voit in Wrigley on days the wind is blowing out. I can see it. Why can’t you, Cubbies?
Steve Rogers
Sorry Yankee fans but Epstein has left the house. A veteran 1st baseman is insurance in the event that Matt Mervis is not ready. Hosmer is the most appealing backup due to his major league minimum contract of $700,000. This coming season the Cubs won’t be contending for a WS Championship ha
sliderwithcheeze
Luke Voit has a plethora of problems and awful taste in music. He’s been open about his failed circumcision, his love of his grandmother, and his eating disorders. His day/night splits are terrible and unless he can find a team who starts their home games at 9AM, he’s finished as a baseball player
Yanks2
What’s so bad about him loving his grandmother?
sliderwithcheeze
A lot
Yanks2
…?
BeansforJesus
You’re sick, Yanks.
dr. remulak
Failed circumcision?
Jung Like My Daddy
Sometimes the fastest swimmer isn’t really the winner.
BeansforJesus
Sometimes (like bones) it grows back…stronger than ever. Super resistant to modern surgical instruments.
Yanks2
He’s always injured and he’s very pretentious. Clubhouse cancer
YankeesBleacherCreature
I feel like you have more to say about Mr. Voit.
Chicken In Philly?
I don’t think he likes his uniform buttons lol
jopeness
never got that feeling listening to him or any teammate on R2C2 podcast.
Deleted Userr
He’s available for the league minimum so all the Padres fans who were crying about having to give him up in the Soto trade can calm the eff down.
Poster formerly known as . . .
They actually did that?
B4Pilgrams
Decent pinch hitter and occasionally DH start. He might have to settle for a minimum deal
Henry Silvestre
Voit would make a great PH/DH bat off the bench for Padres.. Carpenter is not playing more than 80-100 games.. Voit can split time at DH and replace Alfaro as the “Walk off King” late and close RHB with power off the bench.. that is if we can get him at 1/$2.5mil or so
TrillionaireTeamOperator
Yeah I think Voit and Carpenter might be a good combo as a PH/DH/Utility platoon of left and right handed hitting where they each play a bit but aren’t relied upon and thus can get their rest days. They both have high upside when they’re locked in and they’re both virtually guaranteed to need rest or implode if they aren’t platooned.
The kinda guys seemingly worth $30M a season when they’re hot and DFA material when they’re not.
TrillionaireTeamOperator
Yankees should sign him as a back up 1B/DH for 2 years/$29M.
Okay but seriously I think he’s a player that is in a no win situation where he needs needs rest days and DH days but is statistically better when he plays every day and plays 1B, but he’s not good defensively. He’s not atrocious but he’s a stop gap defensively.
Maybe the A’s or the Rays could take him on 1 year/$3M w/ a $1.5M buyout on a $7M option?
Mrski
Mets? Hello. You think vogelsong is your answer?
EasternLeagueVeteran
Darren Ruf is the Right-handed DH. VogelBACH is the lefty-hitting DH. Maybe to replace both and trade for another competent outfielder would be good. But they’d have to eat two more contracts to sign Voit. Still, he might have hither upside then the combination of the other two.
Mr_KLC
Sounds like former home run leader, Chris Carter, now the pride of the Mexican League.
Pedro Martinez’s Mango Tree
“ He launched 22 homers in that season, shortened by the pandemic to just 60 games. No one else in baseball hit more than 19.”
He led by 3 homers. Way to phrase it like it was an historic lead!
upsidedowncake
When I read this, I thought he made it sound like Voit led by three home runs. I mean, Voit hit 22, and it even says, nobody else hit more than 19. All of my research seems to indicate that this is true, and totally unembellished, with no adjectives even attached to the description of the statistics. Idk, seems like a weird spot to get critical. Maybe find some of Voit’s poetry and dissect that instead?
Crunchtime1969
Korea or the Mets
jvent
The Mets should sign Voit to DH
stymeedone
Yes, don’t sign him because you don’t care for… his taste in music?… a bad circumsion?…he loves his grandmother!
That last one is the straw that broke the camels back!
rocky7
When a .277 hitter finishes 9th in AL MVP (analytics be dammed)…..there is something wrong with that award!
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
It’s the 21st century. Perhaps 22 homeruns in 60 games may have helped his case too.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Ohtani won the MVP in ’21 with a .257.
bwmiller
Luke Voit should be good for 30HR if he gets everyday ABs – .240/.325/.475, a career .818 OPS
He is an interesting player, the 20HRs in 50 games in the shortened 2020 season really was something, a 40HR season is not out of the question. There was only four players to hit 40+ HRs in 2022.
jopeness
I could the Marlins as they’ve missed out on every attempted signing minus Segura
utah cornelius
No doubt not for not trying, against more money offered by more competitive teams.
jopeness
I know and it does stink as they are trying. they are in a tough spot because some of the prospects aren’t panning out that they got in earlier trades.
friarfootin
I saw a lot of long fly-outs at the warning track last year. Swings like he’s trying to hit it 900 feet. Said himself on the way out, “Petco Park is a graveyard”. I’d rather see Alfaro back…