Legendary former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto felt he still had something left in the tank.
Despite battling injuries in 2022 and 2023, Votto was not ready to hang up the cleats heading into this past winter’s free agency. In October, he told “The Dan Patrick Show” that he wanted to play at least one more year. Although a reunion with the Reds was not going to happen, Votto persisted, eventually signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays as he tried to keep his MLB career going.Â
He started his time with the Blue Jays with a bang, belting a home run on the first pitch he saw in spring training. The good times did not last long, as Votto stepped on a bat in the dugout, injuring his ankle and ending his spring training just as it was heating up.
While Votto tried getting back on the diamond, his minor league rehab continued to stall due to injuries to the ankle and lower back. Instead of choosing to fight a prolonged losing battle, Votto realized what his body had been telling him — it was time to call it a career.