Yankees Trade Luke Voit to Padres for Pitching Prospect Justin Lange

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

After the New York Yankees re-signed Anthony Rizzo as their first baseman, Luke Voit’s tenure with the organization has come to an end. 

The Yankees announced Friday they are trading Voit to the San Diego Padres for right-handed pitching prospect Justin Lange. 

New York signed Rizzo to a two-year deal Thursday. He hit .249/.340/.428 in 49 games with the Yankees after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs prior to the trade deadline. 

Bringing Rizzo back added to a crowded infield rotation for the Yankees. They also have Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu. Giancarlo Stanton is likely to be the primary designated hitter in the Bronx this season. 

That left Voit, who is limited to first base or DH, as the odd man out. The 31-year-old did net a solid return for the Yankees in a potential trade because of his contract status. 

Lange was the No. 34 overall pick by the Padres in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. The 20-year-old struggled in his first season as a professional. He posted a 6.95 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 22 innings over nine starts in rookie ball last year. 

The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Lange as the 13th-best prospect in San Diego’s farm system, noting he has “huge stuff and a workhorse build” if he can refine his command and overcome a knee injury that plagued him last season.

Durability has been a problem for Voit. The Missouri native has missed at least 44 games in two of the previous three seasons because of injuries.

Voit is projected to earn $5.25 million in 2022, per Spotrac. He has two years of team control beyond this season before hitting free agency after the 2024 campaign. 

The Padres tried to make a big splash in free agency, as USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reported they got in on the bidding for Freddie Freeman. The 2020 National League MVP wound up signing a six-year, $162 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

San Diego needed an upgrade at either first base or designated hitter. Eric Hosmer and Jurickson Profar were the projected starters at those spots. Hosmer hit .269/.337/.395 with 12 homers and 65 RBI in 151 games last season.

Profar, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract last offseason, had a .227/.329/.320 slash line in 137 games during the 2021 campaign. 

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Sunday that the Padres are “aggressively shopping” Hosmer and Wil Myers. Hosmer has four years and $59 million remaining on his contract, though his deal includes an opt-out after 2022. 

Voit led MLB with 22 homers during the 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. He hit .239/.328/.437 with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 68 games last year.