Joey Votto Announces Retirement from Baseball After Stellar Career

Joey Votto Retires from Baseball

TORONTO — Former NL MVP and six-time All-Star Joey Votto announced his retirement from baseball in a short video posted to social media Wednesday. After recording the video outside Buffalo’s Sahlen Field, where he’d been playing for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A team, Votto drove across the border to Toronto’s downtown stadium, where the Reds had just beaten the Blue Jays 11-7.

Career Highlights and Reflections

Votto went into the Cincinnati clubhouse to meet former teammates and manager David Bell, then spoke to reporters about his retirement decision. The Toronto-born Votto signed a minor league contract with his hometown team in March and, following a lengthy layoff due to an ankle injury, had been playing at Triple-A.

• Votto's stats over 17 seasons: .294 average, 356 home runs, and 1,144 RBIs.
• His career included accolades like the 2010 NL MVP and a Gold Glove in 2011.
• Frustrations arose as he struggled offensively during his final season, hitting only 6 for 42 with one homer.

Statements from Votto and Colleagues

“I just decided, you know, you’ve played long enough, you can interpret what’s going on, and I was awful,” Votto remarked reflecting on his performance. He expressed zero regrets but shared his disappointment about not playing in Toronto.

Reds manager David Bell and Blue Jays manager John Schneider both praised Votto's incredible career, highlighting his impact on the game.