MLB’s first baseman legend Joey Votto announced on August 20 that he was retiring from baseball, surprising many fans and journalists who thought he could still play at a good level for some more seasons. The legendary player of the Cincinnati Reds made the announcement on his Instagram account, where he said that while he felt sad about retiring, he believed it was the right moment to do it after everything he accomplished on the field and everything he can live with his family in the years to come.
Votto also said that he will always love baseball as it was the sport where he mostly felt like himself, and where he was able to be the best version of himself. He also said he felt the satisfaction of not having to complain or regret anything, as he gave everything he had in every single game he played as a professional baseball player, both in victories and defeats. The first baseman thanked his brother for always helping him to enhance his skills, and his parents for allowing him to achieve his dream of becoming a baseball player and playing in the MLB. He also thanked his fans for the support they delivered over his entire career, which he said was something he will always take in his heart.
While many sports reporters said that Votto was about to sign for the Toronto Blue Jays at any moment, it failed to materialize and the first baseman decided it was time to retire. He even said it at the end of his Instagram post, where he explained that he did everything he could to play for the Blue Jays in the American League, but he realized he wasn’t the same player he used to be. However, he admitted that despite the situation, he felt proud of playing only for the Cincinnati Reds, which he considered a team that gave everything to him.
Votto, who is 40 years old, participated in six All-Star games, delivering some great moments that baseball fans will remember forever. He was also named the Most Valuable Player of MLB’s National League in 2010, in what many experts considered the best moment of his career, making him one of the greatest baseball players in the world that year.
His career started in 2002 when he was taken by the Reds during the amateur draft in the second round, after coming out of the Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto. He played for that team for 17 years, in 2,056 games where he built his legend status in a franchise that had some of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Votto scored 356 home runs throughout his career, had a 2.94 batting average, had an on-base percentage of .409., and won one Gold Glove back in 2011.