Former MVP Joey Votto, who has been brazenly pleading in current weeks for a chance to play, has agreed to a minor league take care of a Toronto Blue Jays, in response to business sources.
Lower than 24 hours earlier, Votto indicated on the ESPN exhibition broadcast Thursday that he would do no matter was required of him to get one other probability at enjoying once more. “I will do no matter it takes to get again on a significant league area,” Votto mentioned in an look by way of Zoom.
I’m excited in regards to the alternative to work my means again to the Main Leagues. It is even sweeter to aim this whereas carrying the uniform of my hometown crew, the Toronto Blue Jays. https://t.co/s7xEFLKe8V
— Joey Votto (@JoeyVotto) March 8, 2024
The Jays are giving that probability to Votto, who was born and raised in Toronto. His house is 25 minutes from the Jays’ park.
Votto, 40, performed 17 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds, incomes six All-Star appearances and successful NL MVP; all through his profession, he has been a constant supply of on-base share and energy. When his contract with the Reds expired on the finish of final season, Votto moved into free company, however for weeks he was unable to discover a touchdown spot. Votto struggled the previous two seasons, batting .205 in 2022 and .202 in 2023, however he felt he was nonetheless recovering from main shoulder surgical procedure that ended his 2022 season. As he defined in a current dialog on the Baseball Tonight podcast, Votto feels wholesome for the primary time in years, and has been in a position to work out.
It isn’t instantly clear what the Blue Jays take into account for Votto, however on condition that he is becoming a member of the group three weeks into the beginning of spring coaching, it will not be stunning if he begins the season within the minor leagues, giving Votto an opportunity to work his means again to recreation velocity – and to provide the Jays an opportunity to guage his comeback.
Toronto didn’t re-sign the left-handed hitting Brandon Belt within the winter, and the Jays look like in want of lefties of their batting order, to steadiness the right-handed hitting Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and others. The left-handed hitting Daniel Vogelbach is within the Jays’ camp, as is veteran switch-hitter Eduardo Escobar.
