OAN Staff James Meyers
2:10 PM – Thursday, August 22, 2024
Six-time All-Star and former NL MVP Joey Votto announced he is hanging up his cleats and retiring from baseball in a video posted to Instagram on Wednesday.
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Votto, who spent almost two decades with the Cincinnati Reds at first base, had attempted to join the Toronto Blue Jays this year but never got the call up after playing in 31 minor league games.
“That’s it — I’m done. I’m officially retired from baseball,” Votto said in the video from outside Sahlen Field, home of the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Blue Jays.
After the announcement, former NL MVP went into the Cincinnati clubhouse to meet former teammates and manager David Bell, then spoke to reporters about his retirement decision.
The Reds first baseman added an extensive caption to his post after 17-years in the MLB, showing gratitude towards his family for making his career an actual possibility.
“Toronto + Canada, I wanted to play in front of you,” he wrote. “Sigh, I tried with all my heart to play for my people. I’m just not good anymore. Thank you for all the support during my attempt. Cincinnati, I’ve only played for you. I love you. Finally, to the MLB fans. You energized me with your cheers, I loved the boos, the trash talk, the moments where I broke a road city’s moment, or was humbled on stage. … was myself in this sport. I was able to be my best self. I played this sport with every last ounce of my body, heart, and mind. Thank you for everything.”
In an interview with reporters inside the Reds clubhouse, Votto said he made the decision on his own and didn’t want to be told by the team that his time in the MLB might be up.
“I had moments where I was like, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ and ‘Do I want the organization to tell me I’m done?’” Votto said. “I just decided, you know, you’ve played long enough, you can interpret what’s going on, and I was awful. I was awful down there.”
The six-time All-Star said he had “zero regrets” about ending his career but acknowledged that he was saddened by not playing for the Blue jays this year and in front of his home country of Canada.
“I wanted to play a year in Toronto at home, in front of family, in front of my country,” he said. “I desperately wanted to participate in games here. I’m really saddened that I wasn’t able to make it happen.”
He added that the game has changed over the years and he wasn’t able to keep up his level of play.
“This game is faster,” Votto said. “I’m not fast. This game is about more dynamic defense. This game has changed over the course of the back quarter of my career. I’m slower. The one thing I could attempt to do is perform offensively, and I’ve been awful, especially for my position. At some point, the writing is on the wall.”
Votto finished his illustrious career with a 2010 NL MVP and a Gold Glove in 2011, while hitting .294 with 356 home runs and 1,144 RBIs in 2,056 games.
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