Votto eyes hopeful big league return
First baseman now officially ‘a little Blue Jay’
For Joey Votto, apparently the Toronto Blue Jays dream started at a tender age.
In fact, the Etobicoke native wouldn’t have been old enough to understand what baseball was when he first displayed his potential allegiance to his hometown team.
Recently signed to a minor-league contract by the Jays — with an invitation to the big league camp — Votto spent his first official day in uniform on Saturday at the team’s player development complex in Dunedin.
But the 40-year-old Etobicoke native took a moment to send some visual proof of his early attachment to the Toronto big league team, posting a baby picture to X of a toddler version of the six-time National League all star sporting a Blue Jays bib.
“Minor league contract signed,” Votto posted on Sunday afternoon. “It’s official. I’m a little Blue Jays now.”
And by little Blue Jay, Votto acknowledged he’s not a part of the big league team — yet. He’ll have to play his way onto the roster to make that happen, a process that began with his first workouts with the team on Sunday. Included in that activity was some live batting practice.
Next up will be game action and an opportunity for team management and coaches to get an idea of where (and if) Votto fits in the team’s immediate plans. Votto acknowledged to media in Dunedin that could mean a start in triple-a to begin the road to what would be his 18th season in the big leagues after a stellar career spent entirely with the Cincinnati Reds.
In the early picture, it would seem that Votto would be in competition with another minor league invitee, Daniel Vogelbach, in a battle to become a left-handed bat off the bench. Manager John Schneider has been cautious in describing where Votto fits in the team’s plans, consistent with the message from the player himself.
The upside on the low-risk signing by the Jays is that Votto is healthy again after battling injury each of the previous two seasons. If he can return to his 2021 form, Votto could be a productive option off the bench as well as a backup at first base for Vlad Guerrero Jr.
To his credit, Votto repeatedly told the media that his is a minor leaguer fighting for a return to the big leagues to help fulfil that childhood dream. As odd as it is to hear a bona fide superstar talk in those terms, Votto is aware of his lot after fielding minimal interest during free agency.