An official homecoming for slugger Joey Votto may finally be on the horizon. He has begun a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson, which likely puts him on the fast-track to making his Toronto Blue Jays debut.
Votto suffered an ankle injury in spring training and has gradually been working his way through rehab during the first two and a half months of the season. The Toronto native is surely excited to step into the batter's box at Rogers Centre and try to help this underachieving team claim one of the three American League Wild Card slots.
The Blue Jays have either won or split five of their last six series to pull within one game of .500 at 35-36. Votto is nowhere close to the star Cincinnati Reds fans knew him to be for more than a decade, but he can bring some additional power and veteran leadership to this playoff push.
Manager John Schneider is in no position to turn down reinforcements, considering that the offense is tied for 27th with 58 home runs and ranks 24th in slugging, via ESPN. Fans are sick of waiting for the lineup to exit its extended haze and perform to its capabilities. Votto is also tired of waiting to compete in an MLB game again.
The 2010 National League MVP flied out in his first at-bat with the FCL squad on Monday, per Matheson. He is hoping to quickly shake off the injury rust, which is only compounded by his age. Fans should soon see how much the 40-year-old Joey Votto actually has left in the tank.
Joey Votto, Blue Jays both nearing a crossroads
It has been discussed to death, but the next month and a half is a crucial stretch for Toronto. The club is four and a half games behind the Minnesota Twins for the final Wild Card berth after surviving a near-comeback by the Cleveland Guardians to earn a 7-6 win on Sunday. It now begins a pivotal home series versus the Boston Red Sox, another team that currently stands in its way.
If the Blue Jays cannot sustain momentum, then general manager Ross Atkins could face some pressure to shake up the roster ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. Despite his public insistence that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are not going anywhere, the franchise will presumably weigh all its options, especially since it has failed to win a playoff game with the present core.
Toronto brought in two-time All-Star Justin Turner to help stabilize things, but he is batting just .225 in 61 games. Fellow decade-plus veteran Joey Votto is also being entrusted to remedy the intangibles problem. The first baseman and designated hitting slugger has belted 356 home runs while posting a .294 batting average in 17 big league years, but he barely crossed the Mendoza Line and struck out 25.6 percent of the time in 2023.
Votto just wants an opportunity to represent a possible contender in the area he called home during the formative phase of his life. And Toronto is desperate to reach its potential, at long last. The clock is ticking for both player and club.
Follow Us
Subscribe