Yankees 1B Luke Voit was in 'bad place mentally' following Anthony Rizzo trade

New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit was going through it mentally when the club acquired Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at last month's trade deadline. 

"When it first happened … I was very frustrated," Voit said, according to Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media. "I was in a bad place mentally."

The Yankees acquired Rizzo on July 29 while Voit was about one week away from returning to the majors following a stint on the injured list with knee inflammation. The deal for Rizzo essentially signaled the end of Voit starting at first base in New York. 

"I've done so much for this organization and obviously I didn't think (the Yankees trading for a first baseman) was a possibility, but that's what happens when you've only played 30 games by the deadline," Voit said. "And obviously, we've been a righty-dominant lineup, so I understand it. It's the business part of it."

However, Rizzo appeared in just nine games for the Yankees before landing on the COVID-19 list after testing positive earlier this month, allowing Voit to continue starting at first base. 

The 30-year-old is hitting .234/.314/.380 this season with five home runs and 17 RBI in 36 games. His numbers are down from the 2020 season, when he finished ninth in MVP voting. 

When Rizzo returns, Voit will likely take on a lesser role for the Yankees. He appears to be on board with the change, saying, "There (are) a lot of moving parts and you don't know what can happen."

Rizzo was hitting .281/.400/.563 for the Yankees with three home runs and six RBI before being sidelined. He's a much more accomplished player than Voit, with three All-Star selections, four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger award and a World Series title to his name, so it's no surprise Yankees manager Aaron Boone prefers to start him.