MLB veteran Joey Votto is heading home, signing with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. It's a minor-league deal, but Votto appears to believe he's more than capable of earning a spot on the big-league roster.
Speaking after joining his hometown ball club, Votto was optimistic as can be about the upcoming campaign following a brutal shoulder surgery.
Via The Athletic:
“I feel excellent. I am pain-free. It is a joy,” Votto said to The Athletic in a text message Friday afternoon. “I think I can still bang.”
Votto is expecting to start the season in the minors with the hope of getting the call-up to the show, which is giving him shades of his early days as a professional with the Cincinnati Reds.
“I am grateful that I am in tryout mode right now,” Votto wrote. “This reminds me of when I was 18, flying down to Sarasota, Florida, to showcase and develop my skills as a new Cincinnati Red.”
The last two years have been tough for Joey Votto due to health. He's only played in 156 games in total and hit just .202 in 2023 in 65 contests with 14 home runs and 38 RBIs. The Reds declined his $20 million player option this winter and opted to not bring him back, despite the former MVP showing an interest in finishing his career with the organization.
Votto could be a nice addition for the Blue Jays, though. Since he is healthy, Votto may be a nice bench piece and also, his experience will undoubtedly pay off given the young guys on the roster.
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