Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto should be moved for his sake

The Cincinnati Reds have the best offensive player in the National League and they are wasting his legacy.

The Cincinnati Reds are sitting on their best commodity as it slowly rots away in the offensive strength of Joey Votto.  Since 2010, Votto has led the NL in runs created three times.  He is also second to Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies right now.

Beyond leading the league in runs created multiple times, Votto is also having an MVP like season right now.  He is leading the NL in WAR, OBP, walks, and OPS without going into the advanced Sabermetric stats.  Votto and Blackmon are in a class of their own this season.

This is it for Votto.  He is 33 and only has a couple of decent seasons left, if his career is similar to the rest of history at all.  If he was on a team with any sort of support, he would be a demon in the playoffs.

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This is Votto’s 11th season with the Reds.  In that time Votto has played in nine games in the playoffs.  He has played more seasons than playoffs games played.

Votto deserves better.  The Reds deserve better.  The only way for this relationship to end with both sides happy is for it to end now.

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The Cincinnati Reds can move Joey Votto for the pitching they need and help his Hall of Fame chances.

For perspective, the New York Yankess traded their 4th, 8th, and 12th best prospects for an overrated Sonny Gray.  Gray is a solid pitcher who peaked in 2015.  Since then he has been an ace for a non-contender.

If Gray is worth that, what is Votto worth?  The Rockies could be interested in solidifying their first base.

They have Riley Pint who was drafted two spots after Nick Senzel last season and Colton Welker, who is a cheap team’s Senzel for starters.

The Toronto Blue Jays are a team that could be interested, too, for next season.  They have a pair of infield prospects with famous fathers in Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., and Bo Bichette.  The Blue Jays would have to go all in for this idea to work and the Reds would have to accept an offer light on pitching.

Next: Should Jesse Winker be sent back to Triple-A?

While the recent Hall of Fame inductees haven’t all won World Series, most of them have had a career filled with postseason success.  That is something Votto is lacking.  The Reds should move him now before it is too late for either side to be satisfied with the outcome.