MLB

Yankees’ Rougned Odor exits with knee injury as Luke Voit nears return

Rougned Odor left Tuesday’s win over the Astros with a left knee injury and was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam at New York Presbyterian.

The second baseman got tangled with Houston catcher Martin Maldonado on a play at the plate in the bottom of the sixth of the Yankees’ 7-3 victory.

“Hoping for good news,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “He was moving around pretty good before he left, even in the clubhouse.”

Odor was replaced by Tyler Wade and was examined by team physician Chris Ahmad.

It came on the same night Luke Voit started his rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Voit, out since March after surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, had a double, an infield hit and a walk as the DH in SWB’s season debut at Syracuse.

Rougned Odor exited with a knee injury after colliding with Martin Maldonado after scoring a run in the Yankees' 7-3 win over the Astros.
Rougned Odor exited with a knee injury after colliding with Martin Maldonado when scoring a run in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Astros. N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

Boone said Voit is scheduled to play five or six innings at first base with SWB on Wednesday and the Yankees envision him returning “at some point” on the road trip that starts next Tuesday at Tampa Bay.

It’s unclear whether Odor’s injury may impact that timeline.

“I would say over the next seven or eight days he’ll play five or six games to get him built up and hopefully be in position to join us at some point on the road trip,’’ Boone said of Voit prior to Odor’s injury.

The Yankees have felt Voit’s absence, unable to find a good answer in the infield without him.

They first turned to Jay Bruce, who struggled more at the plate than at first and ended up retiring. Since Bruce left, DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford have typically filled in, with Odor at second base when LeMahieu is at first.

Even with Odor in the lineup, first base has been an issue for the Yankees. After Voit led the majors with 22 homers in last year’s shortened season, the Yankees’ first basemen have mostly been unproductive at the plate in 2021.


Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his first four-hit game of the season.

“We know this is what he’s capable of,’’ Boone said. “We’ve seen this brewing from him the last couple of years. He just hasn’t been able to be out there enough.”

It was the fourth time in his past five games Stanton has had at least three hits — and none of them were cheap, with a homer, a double and two singles. He’s also 21-for-44 during his hitting streak with seven extra-base hits and six RBIs.

“He hits the crap out of the ball every time right now,’’ LeMahieu said.


Miguel Andujar was in the lineup for SWB alongside Voit. After missing much of spring training with carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist, Andujar started in left field.