In 2023, after spending much of the summer vying for a postseason berth and losing in the penultimate week of the season, the Cincinnati Reds started to see results from their youth movement. Joey Votto, the franchise legend who just finished his 17th MLB season, was the exception to the Reds youth movement. Votto has spent his entire career with Cincinnati.
Votto still contributed significantly to the Reds, both on the field and in the clubhouse, despite the fact that his 2023 numbers (.202 BA, 14 HR, 38 RBI, and.747 OPS) clearly show a decline in his abilities. Nevertheless, the Reds had to decide what to do with Votto’s contract. They chose to forgo his $20 million option and pay a $7 million buyout to become a free agent.
Votta appears to have deleted all references to the Reds from his Instagram page.
Does this mean that after spending 17 years with the Reds, Votto will sign a contract with another team? Though not a given, that is the most likely situation.
Votto technically still has a chance to rejoin the Reds in a supporting role, but Cincinnati probably doesn’t want him back because they want to focus on developing their young, talented players. Even though it would be awesome to see Votto end his career with the team where he began, it appears that he will likely play for another team.
