Yankees’ Luke Voit, Gio Urshela likely to return in time for Rays

Luke Voit’s return has been imminent for the last week. Yankees fans now have a better idea of when he will make a re-appearance.

Aaron Boone on Sunday confirmed Voit, who has been rehabbing after knee surgery for a torn meniscus, would be back in the big league lineup sometime during the Yankees three-game series against the Rays.

Voit has yet to play with the big league club this season after being diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee just days before Opening Day. His presence at first and big bat has been missed during these first five and a half weeks of the season as they struggled first with trying to get runners home and with defense.

The 2020 Home Run King monster mashed 22 long balls in the pandemic-abbreviated season, after playing the year with plantar fasciitis. He injured his knee early in March and attempted to play through it before ultimately deciding to have it fixed and missing the start of the season.

“I feel good and I’m glad I got it done,” Voit said of his surgery then. “It was something that popped up early in spring and just kind of got better as we went on, but it just didn’t feel right.

“I am just done playing hurt and I wanted to play 100% and I feel like it was the right thing,” he continued. “I think I could have made it worse to where I could have been out a lot longer than what I will be for this.

Voit has been on rehab assignment with Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. He DHed with the Triple-A team and hit a two-run double and a solo homer on Sunday before joining the Bombers early in this week.

GIOOOOOOO

Gio Urshela is expected to make a return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Rays, according to the Yankees manager.

Urshela has missed the last two games with a swollen left knee and was not in Sunday’s lineup either. Miguel Andujar was in the lineup for the series finale against the Nationals, playing third.

“We’ll see how he responds today, then the off day tomorrow and see where we’re at then,” Boone said of Urshela.

The third baseman did baseball activities and started the ramp up process Sunday before the Yankees capped their homestand with a 3-2 walk-off win.

Andujar was optioned back to Scranton-WIlkes-Barre after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout the game.

HOW’S ODOR DOING?

Rougned Odor, who has been out with a sprained left knee, was out taking ground balls with Urshela Sunday before the game.

“He’s doing well, he feels good,” Boone said of Odor. “I’m kinda waiting to see how they both do today as they ramp up.

Odor injured his knee during a collision at the plate with Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, the first game of the Yankees series against them on May 4. Both were removed from the game to tend to injuries.

Two days after the injury, Odor assured the team ailing knee would not be a long-term issue. He was hitting .164/.271/.361 with four homer runs, 11 RBI, seven walks and 10 strikeouts over 19 games.

WHAT ABOUT JUDGE?

Aaron Judge was also missing from the Yankees lineup on Sunday, but was put in as a pinch hitter in the ninth for Brett Gardner. He reached base on ball in the one at bat.

Boone before the game clarified he was merely being given an additional off day and it was their way of being proactive about his recovery and preparation for playing on turf in Tampa.

Boone also said that Judge was still dealing with a banged up lower body, but that it was more a result of the long season on his body.

“He’s been doing better and better all week, physically,” Boone said. “I still think he’s dealing with some lower leg stuff that as you’re grinding through and playing every day. But it’s more of a trying to stay out in front, proactive, taking advantage of an off day with turf coming up.”