Joey Votto, a legendary first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds and a six-time All-Star, has announced his retirement from baseball at the age of 40. The announcement was made via a social media post on Wednesday night.
In his post, Votto expressed gratitude for his time in the sport, stating, “I 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.”
Votto’s career with the Reds spanned 17 seasons, during which he achieved a .294 batting average, hit 356 home runs, drove in 1,144 runs, and maintained a .409 on-base percentage over 2,056 games. He was known for his exceptional on-base skills, leading the National League in on-base percentage seven times, and he earned a Gold Glove award in 2011.
The Reds acknowledged Votto’s retirement on social media, responding, “We love you too, Joey.”
Last fall, Votto became a free agent after completing a 12-year, $251.5 million contract with the Reds, who picked him in the second round of the 2002 amateur draft. Shortly before announcing his retirement, he signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, his hometown team. He recorded a home run in his only spring training at-bat before suffering an injury that sidelined him for three months. Recently, he played for Triple-A Buffalo, where he struggled with a batting average of .143 over 15 games.
The Reds were in Toronto to face the Blue Jays for the final game of a three-game series when Votto made his retirement announcement.