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On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds' longtime first baseman, Joey Votto, announced his retirement from professional baseball. The 40-year-old veteran spent his entire 17-year-long career with the Cincinnati Reds.
Votto’s 10-year, $225 million contract extension, which he signed with the Reds in 2012, ended after the 2023 season. In March 2024, he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, which included an invitation to spring training.
Announcing his retirement in a clip shared on Instagram, Joey Votto said:
"That's it. I'm done. I'm officially retired from baseball."
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Joey Votto is a six-time All-Star, the 2010 NL MVP, and also won a Gold Glove award. While playing for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, he batted .143 with one homer, four RBIs, and eight walks in 15 games.
Joey Votto thanked baseball and everyone who helped him in his career
Joey Votto’s retirement video included a long caption in which he thanked the game of baseball and the people who contributed to his career in Cincinnati.
“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,” he wrote.
Votto gave a special shoutout to his family, friends and former teammates. He also thanked Major League fans for the support they have shown him throughout his career:
"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. I’ll never forget, early in my career, my first time at Wrigley Field and the crowd standing and cheering toward my failure. I remember standing at the plate, smiling and thinking, this is my home. I belong here."
The Cincinnati Reds drafted Joey Votto as the 44th pick in the 2002 MLB Draft, but he didn’t make his major league debut until 2007. Throughout his career with the Reds, Votto had a batting average of .294, along with 356 homers, 1,144 RBIs, a .409 on-base percentage, and a .920 OPS across 2,056 games.
