Former Yankees Home Run Leader Makes Big Career Move
Unsurprisingly, Aaron Judge has led the New York Yankees in home runs each of the last five years.
What about 2020, though? Judge missed part of the shortened 2020 season with a calf injury, but it wasn't Giancarlo Stanton or Gleyber Torres who topped the Yankees' homer chart that summer.
Advertisement
Instead, it was first baseman Luke Voit, whose 22 homers led the entire sport.
Five years later, the only way Yankees fans will enjoy Voit's homers is if they plan on streaming Japanese baseball. Voit, who last played in the majors in 2023, signed with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles this week.
Voit spent the last two seasons in Mexico after a failed Milwaukee Brewers stint. The 6-foot-2, 258-pound slugger mashed .324 with 11 homers and a 1.050 OPS for Tigres de Quintana Roo this year.
New York Yankees first baseman Luke VoitDale Zanine-Imagn Images
Contract details were not available at the time of publication.
Voit joins a Rakuten club featuring ex-Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco and journeyman pitcher Spencer Howard among its ex-MLBers. Additionally, ex-Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is one of the team's assistant coaches.
Advertisement
Although Voit played for five MLB teams, he's best known for his four-plus seasons with the Yankees. Voit hit .271 with 68 homers and a .883 OPS over 281 games in pinstripes, helping the Yankees to four consecutive playoff berths.
If we've seen the last of Voit in the majors, he'll eventually retire with a .253 average, 95 homers, and a 5.5 bWAR. That's not bad for a 22nd-round pick who didn't make his MLB debut until his age-26 season.
Related: Yankees Facing Backlash After Luke Weaver Injury Announcement
Related: Yankees Trade Idea Reunites Aaron Judge With Former Outfielder
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rays look to end 7-game road slide, play the Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays (53-53, fourth in the AL East) vs. New York Yankees (57-48, second in the AL East) New York; Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 82 strikeouts); Yankees: Cam Schlittler (1-0, 4.35 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 10 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Yankees -120, Rays +101; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays travel to the New York Yankees looking to break a seven-game road slide. New York has gone 31-21 at home and 57-48 overall. The Yankees have the seventh-best team batting average in MLB play at .254. Tampa Bay has a 53-53 record overall and a 22-25 record on the road. The Rays have the third-best team batting average in MLB play at .255. The matchup Monday is the eighth time these teams match up this season. The Yankees hold a 4-3 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Yandy Diaz has 19 doubles, a triple and 18 home runs while hitting .284 for the Rays. Junior Caminero is 12 for 40 with a double and three home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 4-6, .215 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by 19 runs Rays: 3-7, .223 batting average, 4.81 ERA, outscored by 10 runs INJURIES: Yankees: Aaron Judge: 10-Day IL (flexor strain), Mark Leiter Jr.: 15-Day IL (fubular), Clarke Schmidt: 15-Day IL (forearm), Fernando Cruz: 15-Day IL (oblique), Ryan Yarbrough: 15-Day IL (oblique), Oswaldo Cabrera: 60-Day IL (ankle), Jake Cousins: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gerrit Cole: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Gil: 60-Day IL (back) Rays: Bryan Baker: day-to-day (calf), Ha-Seong Kim: 10-Day IL (back), Stuart Fairchild: 10-Day IL (oblique), Brandon Lowe: 10-Day IL (foot), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (forearm), Hunter Bigge: 60-Day IL (lat), Richie Palacios: 60-Day IL (knee), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Alex Faedo: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Lavender: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fox Sports
22 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Rays look to end 7-game road slide, play the Yankees
Associated Press Tampa Bay Rays (53-53, fourth in the AL East) vs. New York Yankees (57-48, second in the AL East) New York; Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 82 strikeouts); Yankees: Cam Schlittler (1-0, 4.35 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 10 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Yankees -120, Rays +101; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays travel to the New York Yankees looking to break a seven-game road slide. New York has gone 31-21 at home and 57-48 overall. The Yankees have the seventh-best team batting average in MLB play at .254. Tampa Bay has a 53-53 record overall and a 22-25 record on the road. The Rays have the third-best team batting average in MLB play at .255. The matchup Monday is the eighth time these teams match up this season. The Yankees hold a 4-3 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Yandy Diaz has 19 doubles, a triple and 18 home runs while hitting .284 for the Rays. Junior Caminero is 12 for 40 with a double and three home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 4-6, .215 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by 19 runs Rays: 3-7, .223 batting average, 4.81 ERA, outscored by 10 runs INJURIES: Yankees: Aaron Judge: 10-Day IL (flexor strain), Mark Leiter Jr.: 15-Day IL (fubular), Clarke Schmidt: 15-Day IL (forearm), Fernando Cruz: 15-Day IL (oblique), Ryan Yarbrough: 15-Day IL (oblique), Oswaldo Cabrera: 60-Day IL (ankle), Jake Cousins: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gerrit Cole: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Gil: 60-Day IL (back) Rays: Bryan Baker: day-to-day (calf), Ha-Seong Kim: 10-Day IL (back), Stuart Fairchild: 10-Day IL (oblique), Brandon Lowe: 10-Day IL (foot), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (forearm), Hunter Bigge: 60-Day IL (lat), Richie Palacios: 60-Day IL (knee), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Alex Faedo: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Lavender: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. recommended Item 1 of 1
Associated Press
23 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Rays look to end 7-game road slide, play the Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays (53-53, fourth in the AL East) vs. New York Yankees (57-48, second in the AL East) New York; Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 82 strikeouts); Yankees: Cam Schlittler (1-0, 4.35 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 10 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Yankees -120, Rays +101; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays travel to the New York Yankees looking to break a seven-game road slide. New York has gone 31-21 at home and 57-48 overall. The Yankees have the seventh-best team batting average in MLB play at .254. Tampa Bay has a 53-53 record overall and a 22-25 record on the road. The Rays have the third-best team batting average in MLB play at .255. The matchup Monday is the eighth time these teams match up this season. The Yankees hold a 4-3 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Yandy Diaz has 19 doubles, a triple and 18 home runs while hitting .284 for the Rays. Junior Caminero is 12 for 40 with a double and three home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 4-6, .215 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by 19 runs Rays: 3-7, .223 batting average, 4.81 ERA, outscored by 10 runs INJURIES: Yankees: Aaron Judge: 10-Day IL (flexor strain), Mark Leiter Jr.: 15-Day IL (fubular), Clarke Schmidt: 15-Day IL (forearm), Fernando Cruz: 15-Day IL (oblique), Ryan Yarbrough: 15-Day IL (oblique), Oswaldo Cabrera: 60-Day IL (ankle), Jake Cousins: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gerrit Cole: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Gil: 60-Day IL (back) Rays: Bryan Baker: day-to-day (calf), Ha-Seong Kim: 10-Day IL (back), Stuart Fairchild: 10-Day IL (oblique), Brandon Lowe: 10-Day IL (foot), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (forearm), Hunter Bigge: 60-Day IL (lat), Richie Palacios: 60-Day IL (knee), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Alex Faedo: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Lavender: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
