ARLINGTON, Texas — Luke Voit insists his sick bat isn’t connected to the hernia that landed him on the injured list from July 31 to Aug. 29, but the slump has put the first baseman’s chances of being on the Yankees’ ALDS roster in peril.
“I hope I make the roster. I have no idea,’’ Voit said prior to Sunday’s 6-1 loss to the Rangers in the final game ever at Globe Life Park. “There are a lot of good players in this room.’’
Lately Voit hasn’t qualified as one of them.
From Sept. 1 to Sept. 28 Voit hit .194 (14-for-72) with two homers, eight RBIs and a .673 OPS in 22 games. In a shorter sample, from Sept. 15 to Sept. 28, Voit went 1-for-32 (.031), struck out 13 times and had a .215 OPS. He didn’t play Sunday.
Even if Edwin Encarnacion makes it back from an oblique strain that has kept him off the field since Sept. 12, he could be limited to DH duties. If that’s the case, it doesn’t mean Voit automatically will be on the 25-man rosters. Mike Ford has forced his way into the conversation by hitting .345 (10-for-29) with two homers, nine RBIs and a 1.133 OPS in 11 games (seven starts).
“It’s been kind of a struggle the last couple weeks, but I feel like I’m having good at bats. Sometimes the baseball gods don’t work in your favor too much,” Voit said. “I’m trying everything I can do to get back to where I was.”
James Paxton, the leading candidate to be the Yankees’ Game 1 starter against the Twins on Friday night at Yankee Stadium reported the tight left glute that forced him out of his start Friday against the Rangers after an inning is getting better.
“I feel there is improvement, less discomfort,’’ Paxton said Sunday morning after playing catch.
Paxton said he hadn’t been told when he would throw a bullpen session but guessed it would be Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, when the team will hold a voluntary workout.
“I am optimistic he will be fine,’’ Aaron Boone said. “I think he throws a bullpen Tuesday or Wednesday and that will give us a better idea.’’
DJ LeMahieu fell short of winning the AL batting title when he finished the season with a .327 average, behind Tim Anderson of the White Sox, who ended up at .335.
LeMahieu said he’s not disappointed by the outcome.
“I feel like I had a good year,’’ LeMahieu said after going 0-for-3 in the regular-season finale. “I feel like day in and day out, I gave everything I had. I’m definitely happy with where I’m at and where we’re at.”
By hitting three home runs on Sunday, the Twins eked past the Yankees to set a MLB record for homers in a season with 307. The Yankees finished with 306 after setting the record last year with 267.
Aaron Judge figures the 307 won’t last long.“It’s a record that’s gonna be broken next year and the following year it’s gonna be broken again,’’ Judge said.
When informed the Twins squeezed by his club, Boone responded, “Hopefully we hit one more than them next week.’’
In an age where nothing gets by scouts or analytic departments the Twins had to notice the Rangers ran wild in the three-game series. The Rangers went eight of nine in stolen-base attempts and the one caught stealing was a pickoff by Luis Cessa. Rangers were successful in five of six attempts Saturday night.