- The 40-year-old first baseman became a free agent last fall at the end of his deal.
- He announced his retirement in a short clip posted on social media on Wednesday.
Former National League MVP and six-time All-Star Joey Votto announced his retirement from baseball on Wednesday.
Votto, a Toronto native, signed a minor league contract with his hometown team in March and, after a lengthy layoff due to an ankle injury, had been playing at Triple-A Buffalo. He went 6-for-42 with one homer and four RBIs in 15 games, striking out 22 times.
The 40-year-old first baseman became a free agent last fall following the end of a 12-year, $251.5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, his only team with more than 17 major league seasons. Cincinnati declined Votto’s $20 million option for 2024.
“That’s it, I’m done. I’m officially retired from baseball,” Votto told fans in a brief video from outside Sahlen Field, home of the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate.
“Thank you to my parents, Wendy and Joe, for giving me everything I needed to fulfill my dream of becoming a professional baseball player,” he added in a statement written in the caption.
Former National League MVP and six-time All-Star Joey Votto announced his retirement from baseball
Votto, a Toronto native, signed a minor league contract with his hometown team in March.
‘Thanks to my brother, Tyler Votto, for throwing wiffle balls at me all these years (haha, you’re the best. I had to write this).’
“To the Etobicoke community for supporting me as a youth player,” he continued. “To Oakville, Queensway, Kingsway, Bloordale, Thunderbirds and Bob Smyth and the Etobicoke Rangers for raising me as a youth baseball player. Mark Capone STILL gets better.”
‘As a professional, Leon Roberts and Freddie Benavides were my men. They made me who I am as a professional player. Thanks to them!’
‘As a Major League Baseball player, Dusty Baker and Scott Rolen taught me how to be a professional among professionals.’
The Blue Jays hosted the Reds on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series.
Votto, the 2010 National League MVP and 2011 Gold Glove winner, hit .294 with 356 homers and 1,144 RBIs in 2,056 games.
A shoulder injury limited Votto to 65 games in 2023. He didn’t play his first game until June 19, 10 months to the day after surgery on his left biceps and rotator cuff.
Votto homered off Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler in his only spring training at-bat for Toronto on March 17. He stepped on a bat in the dugout later in that game and was sidelined for the next three months.
