Joey Votto's latest setback may ensure his last game was in a Reds' uniform

It's doubtful that few, if any, Reds fans will forget where they were when Joey Votto bid farewell to the crowd at Great American Ball Park. In a completely unprompted moment, the fans in attendance on September 24, 2023 stood to their feet and applauded when Votto stepped into the batters' box during the bottom of the second inning.

Votto took a moment to acknowledge a fanbase that had watched him spend his entire career in the Queen City. Votto won the 2010 NL MVP, went to six All-Star Games, and helped the Reds win two NL Central championships during his time in Cincinnati.

But the Reds made the difficult decision to move on this past winter. The Reds chose not to pick up Votto's $20 million team-option during the offseason, effectively making him a free agent for the first time in his career.

After a prolonged stint on the open market, Votto eventually landed a minor-league deal with his boyhood team after agreeing to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays. But an ankle injury during spring training slowed Votto's return to the big leagues, and another setback may have all but guaranteed Votto's last major league game will have been last year while wearing a Reds' uniform.

Former Reds 1B Joey Votto suffered a setback in his attempt to return to MLB

Votto, who had been on a rehab assignment at Low-A Dunedin, was supposed to begin the second-half of the 2024 season with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo. But shortly before the Bisons' game was set to begin on Friday, Votto was scratched from the starting lineup after tweaking his ankle. This is the same ankle that kept Votto on the shelf for nearly four months.

There is no timetable for Votto's return, but he'll be reevaluated on Saturday. There's a chance, of course, that Votto could be back on the field relatively quickly. But this could also be the end of the line for the future Hall of Famer.

Votto has struggled with injuries over the last few seasons, which is one reason why Cincinnati did not look to re-sign the 40-year-old this past offseason. The Blue Jays are also entering an interesting stretch with the possibility of selling some of their top talent at the MLB trade deadline. Even if Votto is healthy, will Toronto be looking to indulge his desires to play in the big leagues once again, or will the organization be looking to develop some of their young talent?

It's quite possible that those Reds fans who never wanted to see Votto put on another jersey will get their wish. Votto's hopes of proving he can still play at the highest level certainly took a hit with this latest setback.

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