Yankees' ALDS ouster by Rays leaves bitter taste in Luke Voit's mouth

A little more than four months later, Luke Voit didn’t sound completely over it.

The "it" being the Yankees’ five-game AL Division Series loss last October to the Rays, a team the Bombers all but despise with the feeling very much reciprocated.

"It takes a while, man," Voit said early Tuesday night during a during a virtual news conference where he, along with teammate Gio Urshela, were honored at the annual Thurman Munson awards dinner to benefit AHRC New York City Foundation. "Especially this being my third year in a row with the Yankees and not making the World Series and winning the World Series. So it definitely left a sore spot on me and it’s going to carry into [this] year too. I’m ready to get back at those guys."

The Yankees, of course, were dominated by the Rays in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, going 2-8 against them — a significant reason for them finishing 33-27 and earning the fifth seed in the postseason — before losing a decisive fifth game in the ALDS.

The Rays, as is the case in many of their offseasons, made moves with an eye of keeping payroll down; trading ace Blake Snell and letting another standout pitcher, Charlie Morton, leave via free agency.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, under orders from managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner for the moment to keep payroll under the luxury tax threshold of $210 million, was able to execute one big-money signing, bringing back DJ LeMahieu on a six-year $90-million deal. That left not enough funds to re-sign Masahiro Tanaka, who since decided to return to Japan to play. But Cashman did, he hopes, bolster the pitching staff by taking a flier on former Cleveland ace Corey Kluber and Pirates righthander Jameson Taillon.

Not surprisingly, Voit — MLB’s home run leader in 2020 with 22 — and Urshela were borderline giddy when discussing the return of LeMahieu, who won the 2020 AL batting crown with a .364 average.

"We got 'The Machine' back, so life is good," Voit said, invoking the nickname bestowed upon LeMahieu by Gary Sanchez in 2019. "I really am stoked to have him back. It was great getting the phone call from him right before he signed and [hearing] he was coming back."

Urshela smiled when asked about LeMahieu.

"Thank God he’s staying in New York," Urshela said.

The third baseman is also familiar with Kluber, a former teammate when both were in Cleveland.

"Competitive guy," Urshela said of the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner (2014 and ’17). "When he’s on the mound he’s going to do everything he can to win that game."

Urshela, limited to playing in 43 of 60 games last season because of bone spurs in his right elbow, had surgery Dec. 4.

"Feels really good right now," Urshela, 29, said. "I’ve been working a lot trying to get the elbow healthy. "I don’t know if it’s going to be ready for the start of spring training, if it starts on time, but it looks like I’ll be ready for Opening Day."

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.