CINCINNATI – The 39-year-old franchise icon feels like 23 years old again.
In the hours before his first game in 2023 following a 10-month recovery from rotator cuff surgery, Joey Votto could hardly contain his excitement to get dressed in front of the Great American Ball Park crowd again.
“I feel like I’ve just been called up, if I’m being honest,” Votto said. “I feel like it’s 2007 again. We’ll see how I play, but I can’t wait to play.”
It was never clear that this day would come this way for players or teams. At least, Votto’s first rehab in April with Triple-A Louisville was a struggle. He hit 21 of 38 batting in 10 games before returning to Cincinnati to continue his rehabilitation efforts beyond the game’s action. Meanwhile, the red are still finding their identity as a young team with a desire to show promise and progress rather than a post-season nucleus. A sweep of four affected games in Pittsburgh dropped their record to 7-15 on April 23. At that point, an optimistic outlook would include Votto’s return to the pitch in any form, regardless of his performance or team achievements. In what could be his final season, fans will at least want to give the Reds legend a well-deserved farewell should he end his playing career beyond 2023.
However, slowly but surely, it was mostly sparked by the arrival of rookies in the courtyard Matt McLain And Elly De La Cruz, the Reds began to pile up victories, in turn taking advantage of a faltering NL Central. All the while, Votto remained with the team as much as possible during his ongoing rehabilitation, eager to contribute to this suddenly heated squad on the field more than just affect his in the clubhouse. After another 12 games in Louisville, where the numbers are still poor but Votto feels markedly better than he did in April, the Reds on Monday made a move: Votto was given the chance. activated.
Started from first base and hit the sixth ball – the lowest he’s been included in the squad since August 20, 2008 — Votto’s return brings extra excitement beyond his own return to the field. Rising Red Devils head into Monday’s game vs Rock mountain not only with an eight-game winning streak, but the return half of Milwaukee Brewery for first place in the department.
Before the game, Votto realized a higher chance of joining a club that was playing meaningful daily baseball. He knows that even with his status and track record, he will need to win back game time and perform to the right standard for a team with post-season aspirations. If anything, it just fueled him further in the detox process.
“Most importantly, I love being on a team that is doing so well that I have to be a value-add. I Have to be a supplement,” said Votto. “That’s the kind of ball I want to play. I want to perform well, and that’s what I expect to be able to do as long as I’m wearing the uniform. Now I’m in a position where I only have the choice to play well, which is even more in line with my path.”
And so, as the only player in the organization who knows what it’s like to take first place with the Reds this summer – it was 2012, if you’re wondering – Votto did his part. It’s his job to make sure his teammates finally get that chance at the end of the night.
In the first match against a left-hander Austin Gomber, Votto paved the way for the second pitch he saw in midfield for an unlucky formation. Its 104.4 mph exit rate suggested that Votto was already preparing for the next fireworks display that followed.
Sure enough, Votto wasted no time in his second game to take the lead in the fifth inning. He made a quick ball from Gomber into the right seats, earning a standing ovation from over 20,344 spectators and ultimately a well-deserved closing ceremony.
Reds’ Joey Votto beats BEAUTIFUL solo in season debut vs Rockies
“It’s Joey Votto,” teammate Jonathan India explicitly stated then. “What can you expect? He’s a legend.”
The heroics at home are all great, but the legend has more work to do. After a run with bases loaded at the end of season six, Votto came to the plate with a chance to put his team ahead. He watches a ball from the reliever jake bird before spinning another line back up the middle for a two-turn run.
Along with the previous homer and lineout, Votto has scored three balls hit with an exit velocity of at least 102 mph in his first game back—something he did in just one game last season. His lead single at 108.7 mph will be his third hardest hit ball in 2022. Votto isn’t just back in the Reds uniform; he’s back dealing damage in the Red Devils uniform.
The lead taken by Votto’s singles would eventually hold for a 5-4 win, the team’s ninth straight game and take the club to the top of the rankings. It’s been great to have Votto around the team throughout his recovery, nothing like having him actually in the squad while the club scramble for a post-season bid.
“He’s always felt and been a part of this, from the first day of spring training,” coach David Bell said before the game. “But now it feels like it should be. He’s a player on our team and he’s going to help us get better. It’s as simple as that.”
The challenge for the Reds going forward will be to maintain their success in this first half as the stakes continue to rise. It seems like a distant memory because of last year’s poor performance, but the 2021 club was in a very similar position to this one in mid-June. That team is leading 37-36 through 73 games but still tied for a wildcard spot in early September. Votto was healthy and particularly spectacular in the second half, but the Reds ultimately fell short in the post-season.
This year’s club will need to continue to weather the storm of injuries that are taking place on the pitch, the latest being trump cards. Greene Hunter on the injured list with right hip pain is the corresponding move to trigger Votto. The depth has been rigorously tested, and is as good as a rookie Andrew Abbott considering so far, he can only start every five days and probably won’t have a 0.00 ERA forever.
However, Votto’s comeback win was a big reminder of how formidable the Reds can be on attack when things are going. It takes all of a game to remind the Great American Ball Park crowd what kind of player Votto alone can become, but he is joining a group of energetic young players who have already reached the top. get serious success at MLB level. The best version of this offense – one with Joseph Daniel Votto in the middle – can assist a pitching staff member who may sometimes need significant executive support.
“This squad is 10 times scarier,” a grinning Indian asserted after Monday’s win.
There is still a long way to go, but the divide is always there to be won. Perhaps, the Reds can maintain this momentum all season and claim their first NL Central crown since that great 2012 team. Whatever happens from here, Votto’s return has been another exciting chapter in a surprisingly successful campaign for Cincinnati — and one that few will soon forget.
“It couldn’t be better written,” catcher Tyler Stephenson post-game said. “And we’re glad he’s back, that’s for sure.”
Jordan Shusterman is half of @CespedesBBQ and a baseball writer for FOX Sports. He followed baseball his entire adult life, most notably for MLB.com, DAZN and Ringer. He’s a Mariners fan living in the Eastern Time Zone, which means he loves the first pitch at 10pm. You can follow him on Twitter @j_shusterman_.
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