Luke Voit the latest Bronx Bomber striking fear in opposing pitchers

The New York Yankees have found a new slugger in Luke Voit that will terrify teams come October.

As if the New York Yankees didn’t have enough weapons, there is a new slugger striking fear into opponents in the Bronx. Luke Voit, the 27-year-old first baseman acquired from St. Louis in July, is the latest addition to an already potent Yankees lineup.

Voit homered twice against the Boston Red Sox in Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, giving him nine home runs in 29 games with the Yankees. He had just four in 62 games for the Cardinals last season and one in 13 plate appearances for St. Louis this year.

The emergence of Voit in the Yankees lineup could spell trouble for opposing teams in the American League come October. The Yankees already have 11 different players with 10 or more homers this year, tying a major league record; Voit is just one away from setting a new mark.

With 245 homers in 2018, the Yankees need 19 in their last 11 games to tie the all-time record set by the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

Not only are the Yankees hitters powerful, they are also getting healthy. Aaron Judge returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday for the first time since breaking his wrist on July 26. Didi Gregorius is also healthy again after missing three weeks with a heel injury.

Voit says this plethora of sluggers, whether Judge, Gregorius, Giancarlo Stanton or Gary Sanchez, means the Yankees feel they are never out of games.

"“It doesn’t matter who’s up, we always have that chance,” he said on Wednesday. “You know, if I don’t do it, the next guy doesn’t do it, you always feel like you’re in the game if you’re down three runs, four runs.”“It’s exciting. I mean, who doesn’t like home runs?”"

It’s Voit who kept the Yankees’ slim hopes alive in the AL East. He set a career-high with four hits against Boston, increasing his average with New York to .323, to go along with his two homers, to keep the Red Sox from clinching the division.

The Yankees (93-58) are 9.5 games back of Boston in the division and have a 2.5 game advantage over Oakland for home-field advantage in the Wild Card game.

The injuries sustained by the Yankees throughout the summer makes Voit’s production all the more valuable. On July 29, three days after losing Judge, the Yankees traded for Voit in exchange for relief pitcher Chasen Shreve and minor leaguer Giovanny Gallegos.

Manager Aaron Boone says it’s a credit to the front office for seeing his potential in limited playing time with the Cardinals.

"“I give our front office a lot of credit for identifying him as someone they really felt like, maybe undervalued is not the right word, but believe that all the underlying things suggest that this guy could be a really good hitter,” Boone said. “We kind of had a need, obviously, especially when we were beat up, and he came over here.”"

Boone says Voit’s play has earned him a greater role in the Yankees lineup as they prepare for the start of what they hope is a lengthy playoff run.

"“He’s been a spark, just from what he brings every day and, obviously, the great production he’s provided. It’s been huge for us, and he’s played his way into a prominent role for our team, and he’s earned that.”"

Voit isn’t shy about showing off his strength off the field as well, doing one-arm bench presses in the gym. With that kind of power, it’s no wonder the Bronx Bombers are a team to be reckoned with in October.