Aug 27, 2021; Oakland, California, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Luke Voit (59) reacts after hitting a home run against the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Yankees' Former Home Run King Will Play in Japan

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Luke Voit, former first baseman and slugger for the New York Yankees, has signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and will make the move from Mexico to Japan.

The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have signed 1B Luke Voit, per Sanspo

The 2020 AL Home Run King has 11 homers and a 1.050 OPS with Tigres de Quintana Roo in the LMB this year. pic.twitter.com/y8kmAO3Dfe
— Gaijin Baseball/外国人野球 (@GaijinBaseball) June 2, 2025

The 34-year-old began his MLB career as a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017, where he batted .246 in 114 at-bats and hit his first major league home run. He was traded to the Yankees in 2018.

Voit was a force to be reckoned with on the Yankees, particularly in 2020, when he was the MLB home run leader with 22 homers in 56 games. The 20th of those runs put him in particularly elite company, as he was just the third Yankee in franchise history to hit 20 runs in the first 50 games (Babe Ruth had done so in three different seasons, and Mickey Mantle had achieved it once).

He hit his first major league grand slam that season, on July 30. On September 17, just 10 days before the season was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, an MLB.com piece predicted would-be greatness for Voit over the course of 2020.

"Though the schedule is 60 games long this season, over a full 162-game schedule, Voit’s pace would be 70 home runs."

Since, Voit has faltered. In 2021, he suffered a torn meniscus that took him out briefly. He completed a rehab assignment, but upon his return to major league play, he was continually plagued by injuries and ultimately played only 68 games in the season.

Voit was traded to the San Diego Padres in March of 2022, and the Padres traded him to the Washington Nationals later that same year. Voit continued to languish with the Nationals, making inconsistent contact at the plate before entering free agency in November.

In 2023 it was the Milwaukee Brewers, then the New York Mets. The Mets released him in 2024, when he signed with Mexican League team Olmecas de Tabasco where he played 81 games before entering free agency once again.

The former Yankees first baseman currently plays for Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League and has an impressive 1.050 OPS with 11 home runs. He now heads on to yet another greener pasture in Japan, the Rakuten Eagles, who currently place fifth in the Pacific League.

Details of the deal have not yet been released.

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