Getty Joey Votto thanks the Cincinnati Reds crowd for their support
The Cincinnati Reds are poised to start the 2024 season without one of the most accomplished and adored players in their history as multiple franchises seek to add him to their own rosters.
“Veteran free-agent first baseman Joey Votto, the beloved former Cincinnati Reds’ six-time All-Star and MVP, has three teams now expressing interest in him,” USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale posted.
After Votto hit free agency this offseason, many believed he would retire rather than join another team as a 40-year-old. But with Votto uninterested in retiring and the Reds apparently out of contention to bring him back, it looks like he will be playing his 18th MLB season with someone else.
Where Will Joey Votto Play Next After Departing the Reds?
GettyJoey Votto, first baseman and designated hitter for the Cincinnati Reds, gets a hit
Though he will be one of the oldest big league players in 2024, it shouldn’t be surprising that multiple teams are interested in signing Votto.
In 17 years and more than 2,000 games with the Reds, the first baseman has hit a career .294/.409/.511, accruing a total of 2,135 hits, 1,144 RBI and 356 homers. He has the most walks in Reds history and is second in homers, doubles and OPS. His accolades speak for themselves.
“Votto is also a six-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove Award winner at first base and was named National League MVP in 2010 when he slashed .324/.424/.600 with 37 homers and 113 RBI,” according to Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari. “Although Votto has never won a batting title despite hitting .300 or better in a season nine times, he has led the NL in walks on five occasions, in on-base percentage seven times and in OPS twice.”
Unfortunately, the Reds have not done a lot of winning during Votto’s tenure. Since he joined the team in 2007, the Reds have made the postseason four times, losing every series they have seen.
Votto is surely hoping to see some postseason success with a new uniform on in 2024. And at least one likely suitor could help him attain it.
“It is fair to wonder if the Toronto Blue Jays are one of the teams interested in Votto, as he was born in Toronto and wouldn’t have to be a key part of an already stacked lineup,” per Chiari. “A World Series win is the one major accomplishment missing from Votto’s resume, and if he signs with a team and manages to win a championship, it could be the thing that assures him an eventual spot in Cooperstown.”
The Reds Are Looking to Build on Young Roster in 2024
GettyCincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz celebrates a hit
While it may be hard for fans to watch Votto in a competitors’ jersey, on paper it does not make much sense for the Reds to bring him back.
Cincinnati saw 16 players make their MLB debuts in 2023, including highly-touted prospects Elly De La Cruz, Matt McClain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. 26-year-old Spencer Steer handled first-base duties for the most part, starting 73 games there and playing well enough to earn four NL Rookie of the Year votes.
In 2024, the Reds are looking to take the next step with their young core, vying to improve on an 82-80 record and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. And while a clubhouse leader like Votto could certainly help them get there, it looks like his legendary tenure in Cincinnati has come to an end.