Boone: Voit will play big role down stretch

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said first baseman Luke Voit won't be relegated to the bench as the team makes its push for a playoff spot.

Boone's comments come in the wake of Voit saying Tuesday that he deserves to be in the lineup just as much as deadline acquisition Anthony Rizzo.

"Luke and I have talked," Boone said. "The bottom line is hopefully we continue to get guys back and we remain healthy. The bottom line is Luke's gonna play a big role on this team moving forward. I think you can all kind of look at it, envision him in the lineup a lot. Whereas you're moving guys around, giving a guy a day here or there, and Luke factors into that a ton."

Voit isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox as Rizzo makes his return from the COVID-19 IL.

The Yankees entered Wednesday with a 68-52 record. They sit atop the American League wild-card standings alongside the Oakland Athletics and trail the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays by five games.

Boone believes the presence of both Voit and Rizzo is a good problem to have, especially after persistent injury issues plagued the Yankees in recent seasons.

Voit has been no stranger to injuries in 2021. He didn't make his season debut until May 11 due to a knee issue and then was sidelined for most of June with an oblique injury and suffered a bone bruise in his knee in early July.

He's hitting .241/.325/.400 with six home runs in 39 games after mashing 22 homers in 56 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.