Luke Voit Takes Big Step Closer to Return From Knee Surgery

New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit has resumed baseball activity, doing light fielding drills after undergoing knee surgery on a partial meniscus tear

Help is on the way for the Yankees' offense. 

First baseman Luke Voit resumed baseball activity on Tuesday, a few weeks removed from undergoing surgery to repair a partial meniscus tear in his left knee. 

"He's able to start throwing and do some real light fielding this week with the hopes that he'll start introducing hitting and hitting off the tee starting next week," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday afternoon. "He's progressed really well to this point."

If everything goes according to plan, Voit could rejoin the team and make his regular season debut as early as next month. 

In his place, veteran Jay Bruce has started in 10 of the Yankees' first 12 games. As much as Bruce looked the part in spring training, earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, he's struggled out of the gates. 

After another hitless day at the plate on Wednesday, Bruce is now hitting .118 (4-for-34) with a team-leading 13 strikeouts. He's flashed the leather on occasion, but his reliability on the defensive side of the ball is still a work in progress as well.

Jay Bruce is 0-for-4 today with two more strikeouts.

Bruce is now 4-for-34 this season (.118) with 13 strikeouts. He has one hit in his last 19 at-bats.

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) April 14, 2021

Since acquiring second baseman Rougned Odor, Boone and the coaching staff have moved DJ LeMahieu over to first for a handful of games. Outfielder Mike Tauchman has also been spotted working out at first base quite a bit this spring, but hasn't been used at the position in a game just yet. 

Voit led the league with 22 home runs during last year's coronavirus-shortened campaign. Without the slugger, New York has struggled in the home run department to start the year, hitting just 13 through their first 12 games. 

#Yankees home runs through the first 11 games of the season:

2021: 11
2020: 23
2019: 22

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) April 14, 2021

MORE:

• The Yankees' Rotation Has Been a Disappointment So Far
• 'Not Worried About it At All': Yankees Aren't Concerned About Offensive Woes, Double Plays
• Gary Sánchez's Costly Baserunning Blunder Extinguished Yankees' Comeback

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