TORONTO — Moments earlier than first pitch between the one workforce he’s ever identified and the workforce he grew up cheering for, Joey Votto introduced that he was retiring from baseball.

Votto has spent the previous six months attempting to make it again to the large leagues yet one more time with the Blue Jays. He’d signed a Minor League deal within the spring saying he wished to “check out” for the native membership, however an ankle damage price him half the season. This week’s collection between the Blue Jays and Reds, with whom Votto performed 17 unbelievable seasons, got here and went with out him getting the decision from Triple-A Buffalo.

“That’s it. I’m finished. I’m formally retired from baseball,” Votto stated in an eight-second video, standing in a parking zone outdoors Buffalo’s Sahlen Subject.

After making the announcement by way of Instagram, Votto made the comparatively brief journey from Buffalo to Toronto and arrived at Rogers Centre moments after the Reds accomplished an 11-7 victory over the Blue Jays. He visited the customer’s clubhouse and exchanged hugs and smiles with a number of of his former teammates.

“To have the ability to come to the stadium, have the ability to say howdy and meet up with a few of my longtime mates, is basically cool,” stated Votto, dressed casually in a T-shirt and athletic shorts. “I needed to hustle in from Triple-A Buffalo. Good factor I caught [them]. I used to be intending on watching the sport, however I had some automotive points.”

The choice to name it a profession got here step by step as Votto struggled whereas enjoying with Triple-A Buffalo. A few days in the past, Votto had lunch within the Niagara Falls space along with his mom and brothers.

“I used to be like, ‘This feels good.’ I’ve been remoted,” Votto stated. “I’m not going to be dramatic right here, however I’ve been in a lodge room for 4 to 5 months with the ankle damage, with the Minor League stops. And I can change the time alone for good efficiency, however I wasn’t performing effectively sufficient to make that transaction.”

Votto was requested by a Buffalo coach if he wished to pinch-hit earlier than the workforce performed a day recreation on Wednesday.

“I stated, ‘I’m obtainable, however not likely,'” Votto stated. “And the way are you going to signify this sport? The followers come to look at starvation and aggression. They arrive to look at folks enjoying at their very, best possible and never passing on skilled at-bats. That’s sufficient.”

Throughout his effort to return, Votto was usually alone in lodge rooms, along with his ankle elevated whereas unable to stroll. He initially watched all the Blue Jays’ video games on tv hoping to study extra about his teammates.

“I needed to cease watching the Jays video games, as a result of it harm a lot,” Votto stated. “I wished so desperately to be part of this workforce. ‘How can I slot in with the blokes? How can I complement so-and-so? How can I assist in any kind of means?’ It simply took so lengthy to get better that I discovered that difficult.”

Over 15 video games in Triple-A after Votto was lastly wholesome sufficient to play this season, he hit .143 with a .489 OPS.

“An unbelievable profession,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider stated. “Attending to know him briefly in spring was a deal with for everybody. … What a singular participant and fantastic individual. He’s been an important teammate his complete profession. It was cool to get to know him a bit of bit. I want him the most effective in his retirement. He was among the best for the final 20 years.”

Votto, simply three weeks shy of his forty first birthday, was among the best hitters of his era and a Canadian baseball legend with a positive case for the Baseball Corridor of Fame when he turns into eligible for the poll in 5 years. From 2007-23 with the Reds, Votto hit .294 with 356 house runs and a .920 OPS over 2,056 profession video games, incomes six All-Star nods to associate with his 2010 NL MVP Award. An on-base machine, Votto led Main League Baseball in walks 3 times and had 9 seasons with an OBP over .400.

Votto ranks second all time in Reds franchise historical past in homers, doubles (459) and OPS, first in walks (1,365), third in runs (1,171), fourth in hits (2,135) and fifth in video games.

“It will have been superior for him to be right here and to play towards him, however he had a hell of a profession,” Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson stated. “It was an honor to get to know him as a buddy and as a participant. He’s an all-time nice. I grew up watching him after I was in highschool and right here we’re, I received to be a teammate with him. He had an unbelievable profession. Nice teammate. Nice buddy.”

The ultimate two seasons of Votto’s time with the Reds have been a battle. In 2022-23, he batted .204 with a .712 OPS and 25 homers over solely 156 video games. He had left shoulder surgical procedure in August 2022 to restore a torn rotator cuff and biceps that saved him out for 10 months.

The ten-year, $225 million contract extension Votto signed with Cincinnati in 2012 ended final season. In November, the Reds declined his $20 million membership choice, making him a free agent for the primary time.

Votto had already bid a tearful and heartfelt goodbye from Cincinnati throughout his last house recreation on Sept. 24 at Nice American Ball Park. On Oct. 1, in what proved to be his last Main League recreation at St. Louis, he was ejected after his first at-bat for arguing balls and strikes with the house plate umpire.

Reds backup catcher Luke Maile, a Cincinnati-area native who performed with Votto in 2023, discovered from reporters postgame that Votto had retired.

“Merely put, one of many best hitters I’ve ever witnessed with my very own eyes,” Maile stated. “I used to be lucky sufficient to look at him when he first got here up and I used to be in highschool. I felt like I watched each single considered one of his at-bats for complete summers rising up. Having an opportunity to play with him was enormously particular.

“I’ll say this, rising up a Reds fan and standing on the road subsequent to him Opening Day 2023, one of many coolest moments in my profession.”

One other individual Votto hugged was his final Reds supervisor, David Bell.

Bell additionally solely discovered of Votto’s retirement after the sport.

“I can’t specific how joyful I’m for the profession that Joey had as a participant, the affect he had on so many individuals within the recreation,” Bell stated. “I feel he’ll look again and be very happy with that. Simply an unbelievable profession, clearly. I hoped that perhaps we’d see him right here [with the Blue Jays].

“I feel I’m much more joyful that he will get to sit down again and revel in all the pieces that he’s achieved and the affect on the sport of baseball, teammates, folks all through our group — and I’m positive right here as effectively.”

Each Votto and the Blue Jays had envisioned a world wherein he joined this membership throughout the season and contributed to a postseason run, however because the Blue Jays fell out of the postseason race and pivoted to a youthful roster with an eye fixed on the long run, the plan now not aligned.

“I made a decision, ‘You already know, you’ve performed lengthy sufficient.’ You possibly can interpret what’s happening,” Votto stated. “I used to be terrible down there. The development was not quick sufficient and I didn’t really feel at any cut-off date like I used to be anyplace close to Main League prepared. I can say to the final pitch I used to be giving my very all. However there may be an finish for all athletes.”

Votto hoped to have the ability to play in entrance of household and mates. In Toronto, on the identical suburban coaching facility he labored out at since he was 13, children usually requested him when he would play for the Blue Jays.

“I’m actually saddened that I wasn’t in a position to make it occur, that I wasn’t in a position to arrive and carry out at Rogers Centre, in a Blue Jays uniform, representing the town that I grew up in, the nation I grew up in and my folks,” Votto stated. “How can I present up and make it my day, my second? ‘Right here’s an at-bat, right here’s a recreation, right here’s a stretch of time?’ To me, it’s disrespectful to the sport. I additionally suppose it’s disrespectful to the paying followers that wish to see a high-end efficiency. And I might have given them an terrible efficiency.

“Actually, I can say I attempted my best possible and I simply got here up brief. I’ve had 22 years of not arising brief, so I assume I’m due.”