3 trade destinations for Yankees’ Luke Voit after MLB installs Universal DH

More often than not, when Luke Voit was in uniform, he was extremely beneficial to the Yankees’ chances of winning baseball games.

Unfortunately, therein lies the problem; if traded, Voit will be nearly as available to the Yanks as he was before a deal was made (eg, not very available).

Whichever team acquires Voit and takes him off his feet at first base more often than not will be acquiring a ~120 OPS+ bat who rakes whenever he manages to stay healthy for long periods of time.

We understand that’s a dicier proposition than ever, considering his seemingly degenerative knee that flared up in 2021 is a new development, compared to his earlier injury issues. But someone’s going to take a chance on talent — and that list of potential “someones” just doubled thanks to a rare Rob Manfred W. Thanks, Commish!

On Thursday afternoon, during a lengthy press conference intended to declare that Spring Training and the 2022 MLB season will start on time (they won’t), Manfred admitted that the MLB owners had acquiesced on two main talking points: draft pick compensation for free agents would be eliminated, and the Universal DH would be installed across both leagues.

That means the Luke Voit waters just doubled in depth. These NL teams that might’ve had interest previously but were scared of installing Voit at first full-time should probably double back and give Cash a call.

3 trade destinations for Yankees’ Luke Voit when Universal DH arrives.

3. Milwaukee Brewers

We had to do it to ’em.

We will not belabor the point. We will not try to add Josh Hader to a prospective deal, placing more burden on the Yankees to add prospect piece after prospect piece. We will not pretend that Voit is some impenetrable force who carries no risk, who the Brew Crew would be foolish not to fork over some top-10 names for.

We will just say that the Brewers won the NL Central last season, and made promises of a long playoff run (helmed by the best rotation in baseball) before flaming out in the NLDS. They didn’t have nearly enough offense to power them past the first round — and that was with a pitcher batting in the nine-hole.

Their first baseman is Rowdy Tellez, at the moment, which doesn’t sound like quite enough until you realize … he was also their best hitter during last year’s postseason. Beyond Tellez, there wasn’t nearly enough pop in the order with Christian Yelich struggling. If all Voit has to do is slug, he can certainly complete that assignment.

Let’s say the Brewers don’t obtain someone like Voit. Where is that additional offense coming from? New right fielder Hunter Renfroe? Corey Ray? Tyrone Taylor? Mike Brosseau?

We don’t have to argue much to Milwaukee’s brass here. That should be all the evidence they need.