Canadian Votto NL MVP finalist

Joey Votto started the 2017 season unsure how his defensive game would stack up.

Now that it’s over, the Cincinnati Reds first baseman and Canadian star says it was his defence that made him most proud over his MVP-calibre campaign.

Votto, a Gold Glove finalist this season, was named one of the three finalists for the National League MVP award on Monday for the third time in his career. The MVP will be announced Nov. 16 while the Gold Glove winners will be revealed today.

Votto is hoping to add both to his trophy case.

“Going into this season I was really concerned ... I was scared that I was starting the process of declining as a defensive player,” Votto said on a conference call Monday. “And the next subject would have been possible trades to an American League team, should he DH, those sort of things.

“It was the defence [he wanted to focus on], really shoring that up and making sure that I’m among the Gold Glove finalists this year. That was my goal, to really get back on track to being one of the best defensive players.”

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton and Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are the other MVP finalists in the NL, while Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians and Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros are the American League finalists.