Joey Votto gets chance to continue playing after agreeing to a non-roster invite with the Blue Jays.
Votto has been without a team since the Reds declined his option for 2024.
Joey Votto’s wait to play baseball again is ended, as he accepted a non-roster invite from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.
According to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, the deal, which is subject to a medical, includes a $2 million base pay if Votto makes the club and another $2 million in incentives.
Votto, a Toronto native, has been without a team since the Cincinnati Reds declined his club option for 2024, leaving the 17-year veteran a free agent.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work my way back to the Major Leagues,” Votto wrote on X Friday afternoon. “It’s even sweeter to attempt this while wearing the uniform of my hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays.”
The 40-year-old Votto consistently stated during the offseason that he was not ready to retire and wanted to keep playing, even if a return to the Reds was not in the cards. When he was interviewed for ESPN’s broadcast of the Boston Red Sox-Atlanta Braves game on Thursday, he stated he was still preparing as if he may play again.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get back on a major league field,” Votto stated on MLB.com. “I really miss it. It is the best game.
“As the weather changes and the days grow longer, people become eager to be outside. We have an outdoor game; it’s a celebration, it’s sunny, and the grass is green. It’s like a huge cookout, and I really miss it. “I miss it so much.”
While waiting for his phone to ring, Votto stayed busy outside of training. In February, he participated in a mascot scavenger hunt at NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Earlier this week, he participated in the meme game by replicating the “Sad Keanu” shot from 2010.
Last season, Votto played only 65 games and had a.202 batting average with 14 home runs and 38 RBI. He missed the start of the season due to a shoulder injury that necessitated surgery and sidelined him for 10 weeks.
Given this opportunity with his hometown team, Votto will be able to extend his baseball career and retire on his own terms.
“Again, the game will let me know if I’m done,” Votto said on the Flippin’ Bats podcast this week. “And I can tell you right now that when I’m finished, I’ll be thanking my lucky stars. I’ll be appreciative; I’ve been really fortunate to have gone this far, but I need the game to tell me it’s over. I need
