Luke Voit Needs Monster September to Earn Spot in Playoff Lineup as Woes Linger

When the New York Yankees were hammering teams earlier in the season, a big part was the middle of their lineup that featured first baseman/designated hitter Luke Voit, who before the All-Star break slashed .280/.393/.509 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs.

Unfortunately, Voit went on the shelf with a sports hernia and since his return to the lineup on August 30 he's hitting .222 (6-for-27) with two doubles, zero RBI and 11 strikeouts.

With Gio Urshela back in the fold, the Yankees are at their best with him at third and DJ LeMahieu at first base. So, if Voit wants playing time it'll be at DH, but right now Edwin Encarnacion is their best option at that spot.

The Yankees still are likely to feature Voit because they know what he's capable of, but with the amount of position player depth New York has, the slugger needs to step it up in this final month of the regular season to earn a spot in the playoff lineup.

That spells doom and gloom for Voit, but he's certainly capable of having a big September like he did last year where he slashed .333/.414/.736 with 10 home runs and 22 RBIs.

Even though Voit has had great moments in his short tenure in pinstripes, it might be best if they sit him down the stretch and get him healthy for next year. This club is so deep they don't really need him, and their 21-8 record during his absence proves that.

Still, having Voit prominently featured would be a plus.