August 21, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Joey Votto has retired.

He made the announcement in an Instagram post on Wednesday evening.

"That's it. I'm done. I'm officially retired from baseball," Votto said in a nine-second video that accompanied his Instagram post.

Votto, who played 17 major league seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on March 9 in hopes of finishing his career with his hometown big league team. But his plans were derailed when he suffered an ankle injury after homering in his first Grapefruit League at bat on March 17. He endured a long rehab process before he reinjured the ankle on July 19 when he stepped on a ball in a pre-game fielding drill with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

When he did return to action, Votto, who will turn 41 on September 10, struggled with the Bisons, going 6-for-42 (.143 batting average) with 22 strikeouts in 15 games.

Regardless of Votto's struggles, many Blue Jays fans were hopeful, in this disappointing campaign, that they would see their hometown hero play at least one game at the Rogers Centre before the season's end.

"Toronto + Canada. I wanted to play in front of you," Votto wrote in his retirement Instagram post. "Sigh, I tried with all my heart to play for my people. I'm just not good anymore. Thank you for all the support during my attempt."

A seven-time Tip O'Neill Award winner, as top Canuck player, Votto owns Canadian major league records for most games (2,056), plate appearances (8,746), walks (1,365), All-Star Game selections (6) and on-base percentage (OBP) (.409).

In his retirement post, he also thanked his mom, Wendy, and his late father, Joe, as well as his brother Tyler "for throwing me wiffle balls for all those years."

He also expressed his gratitude to the many Toronto-area baseball organizations that helped him develop his skills, including Bob Smyth and the Etobicoke Rangers.

"As a major league player, Dusty Baker and Scott Rolen taught me how to be a pro's pro," wrote Votto.

In 2010, Votto was voted National League MVP, after topping the Senior Circuit in OBP (.424), slugging percentage (.600) and OPS (1.024). This made him just the second Canadian to earn that honour after Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) in 1997.

Votto finishes his MLB career with 2,135 hits, which is just 25 behind Walker for most by a Canadian. He also ranks second behind Walker among Canuck big leaguers with 356 home runs and 459 doubles.

His big-league career will definitely earn him a plaque in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont., and should also garner him one in Cooperstown.

"I was myself in this sport," Votto wrote in his retirement post. "I was able to be my best self. I played this sport with every last ounce of my body, heart, and mind."