Yanks put Voit on IL with abdominal strain

NEW YORK -- The Yankees placed first baseman Luke Voit on the injured list with an abdominal strain on Tuesday. The move, which is retroactive to Sunday, comes after Voit left the Yankees' game in London on Saturday in the fifth inning with abdominal tightness after hitting a double.

"I kind of felt it going around first," Voit said on Saturday. "It was weird. It kind of freaked me out right when it happened, and I guess there was really no point in me staying in the game. I think that was the right decision."

Manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday’s game that the team hopes Voit will be set to rejoin the Yankees in their first series following the All-Star break.

“Even the Sunday game in London, he was out doing his ground balls and hit and felt pretty good,” Boone said. “But when we did the MRI and there was a low-grade strain in there, just feel like it’s something we don’t want him to hurt any worse.”

In his first full season with the Yankees, Voit -- who was acquired from the Cardinals prior to last season's Trade Deadline -- is batting .280/.393/.509 with 17 home runs, 14 doubles and 50 RBIs. He's the latest Yankee to hit the IL this season; the club has had to absorb absences from Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, James Paxton, Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez and Troy Tulowitzki, among others.

“He’s been so good,” Boone said of Voit. “Such a consistent performer for us, an energy-giver in the clubhouse, as well -- a guy that means a lot to our team, behind the scenes. That consistency ... that’s spot on. It’s just by and large, really good at-bats every day. The ability to get on base, the ability to hit with power, he’s gotten a lot of big hits for us. He’s done a really good job when he’s gotten into a little rut for a couple days, he’s able to correct pretty quickly. Since we’ve gotten him in the trade last year, he’s been a great player for us period.”

Additionally, the Yankees optioned right-hander Chance Adams to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalled lefty Nestor Cortes Jr. and infielder Mike Ford from Triple-A.

Adams, 24, returns to the Minors after a brief stint with the Yankees in London. He was recalled for Sunday's 12-8 victory over the Red Sox and was tagged for five hits and four runs in two-thirds of an inning. The right-hander owns a 6.75 ERA through four appearances (12 innings) in the big leagues this season.

Cortes, 24, assumes Adams' place in the bullpen. The southpaw was sent down to make room for Adams after the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday in London in which he yielded five runs in three innings of relief. He's made nine appearances in the Majors this season, pitching to a 5.22 ERA with three wins in 29 1/3 innings.

Ford, 26, is joining the Yankees for his second big league stint after debuting on April 18. He played in 10 games and hit .179 (5-for-28) with a home run, a double and two RBIs in his first callup to the Majors.