San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
NEW DH WANTS TO WIN IN S.D.
Padres designated hitter/first baseman Luke Voit was traded by the New York Yankees to the Padres shortly after the start of spring training. Voit, a right-handed hitter who led the major leagues in home runs (22) in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, dealt with various injuries over the past few years, including left meniscus surgery last spring. Considered one of the most productive hitters in the game when healthy, Voit looks to this opportunity with San Diego as a fresh start.
Q:
You come from two baseball organizations rich in history, the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees. What did you take away from your time with both?
A:
Win. I grew up in both winning organizations. Every team I’ve been on, we’ve been in the playoffs, so that’s something I hope to bring over here and obviously win a championship, which I haven’t got to do yet.
Q:
New York, it’s a tough media market. There’s a lot of media, and they aren’t afraid to get in your face. The fanbase isn’t afraid to tell you how they feel. Are you good with getting away from that or will you miss it a little?
A:
I mean, you’re going to miss it. It’s still the New York Yankees, so you’re not just playing in front of New York, you’re playing in front of the world. It’s an awesome experience. I wish a lot of guys got to do that . ... Now I get to play in the new pinstripes, the brown and gold, so I’m excited about that.
Q:
Things changed for you last year when Anthony Rizzo was sent to the Yankees at the trade deadline and you had to give up playing time. How do you look back on your time with the Yankees?
A:
It started great. Part of the problem was with me, being hurt. I didn’t even know I hurt my knee and then all of a sudden I’m getting surgery and then I only played 60 games last year. … They gave me an opportunity when I was kind of an up-and-down guy with St. Louis, so I’ll always thank them for that . ... I had a minor league coach that said you’re always playing for 29 other teams. So that’s why I want to go out, be healthy. … I want to thank New York. They were great to me.
Q:
You’re one of the most productive hitters in the league when you’re healthy. How has going through injuries the last few years changed you as a person and player?
A:
Yeah, I found out the knee is very important in baseball (laughs). But you know, I had the surgery at the end of spring last year, and you want to rush to get back, and not saying I didn’t feel good, but then you rush and that leads to different things. It’s frustrating because you want to get back out there with the guys and help the team win, and (the knee) is still bothering you, and then you’re changing your mechanics. I just learned I gotta be smarter. It’s a long season and you’ve got to be right.
Q:
How does your body and knee feel now?
A:
I feel great. I’m back to normal. I’m excited to not remember last year.
Q:
You’re coming into a lineup to provide some pop. What do you think of the opportunity and fit, now that you’ve seen the guys around you and what you might be able to provide? A:
Just a lot more speed. Which is great, because my job is to drive in runs and hit for power. So I’m excited. … I think this team can produce, and obviously our starting pitching is really elite. And we’ve got thump. I think that’s what makes this team scary, is we’ve got all types of baseball players in our lineup.
Q:
Being the designated hitter … it’s a different mentality, right?
A:
I got to do it in New York … I’ve gotten to see (Giancarlo) Stanton go about his routine. He’s primarily been the DH for the Yankees for a while . ... I think the big thing is I gotta stay loose in the dugout, communicate with guys and just keep my mind off my last at-bat. Or I can go in the cage and hit, watch video. You’ve got to keep yourself distracted.
Q:
Let’s talk about the physique. There are pictures of you posted to social media and fans comment underneath with words like “thicc,” “jacked” and “swole.” Are you used to this? Have you always had this kind of muscle and been this big your whole life?
A:
That’s the one thing I pride myself in, is I like to get after it and work out. It’s kind of a stress reliever; I can kinda get away from the game. And I like to hit home runs too, so you know.
Q:
It gives you the power. I imagine there are pros and cons with the athleticism, but when you’re feeling your best, what are you doing? Are you at your best at this weight?
A:
Yeah. After my best year in 2020, I got down to about 240 (pounds). I felt more agile and flexible. Just more athletic. Before, I’d been a little beefier and thicker, and I feel like as the season goes on I just get a little slower. If I keep my weight down around 240, I just feel clean.
Q:
Is there anyone in the clubhouse who could beat you in an arm-wrestling contest? A: (Jorge) Alfaro showed up pretty jacked … But I mean, I doubt it.
Q:
I talked to some people from your previous teams who said you are an honest guy, a great clubhouse guy and someone who goes about your work the right way, and then they added that you can be very intense because of how badly you want to win. Is all this accurate?
A:
Yeah, and I am. I’m just really competitive and it means a lot to me. We play every day and I know a lot of guys are just like, ‘Oh, I just move on to the next at-bat,’ but I want to go out there and do something for the team to help us win and sometimes that’s me throwing a helmet or throwing a bat, or dropping a lot of cuss words. I don’t mean that to be disrespectful or anything. It’s just me wanting to do good and be the best I can be.