After several media appearances this week, the Joey Votto saga has finally come to an end. Buster Olney reports that the former Cincinnati Reds first baseman has signed to a non-roster deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In November, the Reds declined to pick up Votto’s $20 million club option. Votto became a free agent this summer, the first time in his career.
Votto spent the past week appearing on the Flippin’ Bats Podcast and the Dan Patrick Show, virtually begging teams to sign him. It worked; he has now signed with his hometown team and plans to extend his career north of the line. Votto shared his excitement on his social media page.
Reds icon Joey Votto finally returns to MLB with the team you anticipated.
The former National League MVP has struggled over the last two years. Following a resurgence in 2021 that saw Votto reclaim his power, the six-time All-Star hit a new low in 2022, barely batting above the Mendoza line. Votto went on the injured list midway through the season and had shoulder and biceps surgery.
Votto eventually returned to the Reds’ lineup last summer, but he was not the player fans had hoped to see. Votto hit just.202 with 14 home runs and was frequently out of the lineup, with players like Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand outperforming the aging veteran.
Votto wants to prove that a healthy version of himself can still produce at the greatest level, and it appears like the Blue Jays will give him that opportunity. Given the structure of the contract, it’s clear that teams were unwilling to provide any amount of guaranteed money to a 40-year-old first baseman nearing the end of his career.
