It’s like a dream come true for Toronto native Joey Votto. He doesn’t care if he’s joining his hometown Blue Jays on a minor-league deal. Instead, the first baseman with 17 Major League Baseball seasons of experience relishes the idea of playing for the team he grew up supporting.
In his recent conversation with reporters, the six-time MLB All-Star said:
“I was a Blue Jays fan. I watched (Joe) Carter hit the walk-off home run. I watched us win against the (Atlanta) Braves on the road. Those were the most exciting moments of my childhood. The idea that I’m back with the opportunity, that I’m possibly going to be a part of the team down the road that has championship aspirations…It’s a dream.”
“I have wanted to play here since I was wearing a #BlueJays bib” - @JoeyVotto pic.twitter.com/ly2E1JsPpX
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 10, 2024
That dream was a long time coming because he spent the first 17 years of his MLB career with the Cincinnati Reds. Aside from the All-Star nods, he was also the 2010 National League Most Valuable Player and Hank Aaron Award winner. Votto won his only Gold Glove Award in 2011.
However, injuries have plagued his performance in three of the last four years. He played only 54 games in 2020, 91 in 2022, and 65 last season. He’s also coming off a career-worst .202 batting average and .314 on-base percentage.
Joining the Blue Jays’ MLB roster will be an uphill climb, especially with first basemen Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Justin Turner, Daniel Vogelbach, and Spencer Horwitz on their roster. But he will have his shot, and it’s up to him to make the most of it.
-Lance Fernandez