Joey Votto is set to undergo season-ending surgery on his rotator cuff on Friday, per Reds beat writer Bobby Nightengale. The Cincinnati Reds are already out of contention, but Votto is a fan-favorite who will be missed for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Votto is a career-long Reds' star who's made 6 All-Star teams during his time in Cincinnati. He won the MVP award back into 2010, and last made an All-Star team in 2018. However, he was extremely productive in 2021 for the Reds. Votto slashed a respectable .266/.375/.563 with 36 home runs and 99 RBIs. Despite Cincinnati's struggles as a team, Joey Votto was a bright spot.

But he's labored through the 2022 campaign. Joey Votto will finish the season with a slash line of just .205/.319/.370 and 11 home runs. One has to imagine his rotator cuff injury played a role in his struggles. Despite his underwhelming 2022 performance, Votto is arguably the Reds biggest draw. As discussed earlier, he's a fan-favorite who keeps people coming to the ball park. So the Reds will miss him in more ways than one.

Votto will likely face questions in reference to retirement moving forward. At 38-years old, his future is cloudy without question. Baseball fans surely hope he does not call it quits. His antics on and off the field make him one of the most entertaining players in the game. But the thought of retirement will likely cross his mind.

If this is the end, Joey Votto had an excellent career. But the Reds will welcome him back should he return next season.