The Reds announced Tuesday that first baseman Joey Votto is back from the 10-day injured list. To clear room for Votto, the Reds placed right-hander Michael Feliz on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Monday) with an elbow issue.
Cincinnati has gone more than a month without Votto, who hasn’t played since May 5 on account of a fractured left thumb. The 37-year-old, a six-time All-Star and former MVP, was off to a tough start before then with a career-low .226/.305/.425 line and five home runs in 118 trips to the plate. However, it wasn’t necessarily a hopeless start to the season for Votto, who dealt with some poor fortune that contributed to his mediocre line. For instance, Votto ranks well above average in several important Statcast categories – including expected weighted on-base average (his .377 xwOBA far outdoes his .319 real wOBA) – so his meager .250 batting average on balls in play seems likely to increase.
The Votto-less Reds have tread water since he went down, as they were one game under .500 then and that remains the case. The club is four games back in the competitive National League Central, which has three other contenders in the division-leading Brewers, the Cubs and the Cardinals.
I’m always getting my Joeys mixed up (Votto and Gallo)
Just don’t get your Gallos mixed up
Or your Buttafuocos.
Vincent Gallo and Joey Gallo aren’t the same person?
Or Joey Chestnut. Who’s more competitive? Chestnut or Votto?
Feliz elbow issues is he used it to try to throw pitches….Having worse troubles keeping runs off the board for the Reds than he did with Pittsburgh.
Yeah I think he has an extremely inflamed ERA
Between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, he’s been bitten by gophers five times in 14 innings. Gopher bites can lead to the inflammation you mentioned.
And left untreated, gopher bite inflammation becomes an infection. Ex-Red JJ Hoover was so infected at the end of his professional career.
I thought maybe he got a neck injury from turning around and watching the ball go
What is about the Pirates and first base? Offense or defense, their players refuse to touch it.
Good observation, Cey Hey. Weird coincidence.
Reds are a contender. Bring up Greene and lodolo and people might actually show up to the ball park.
Contender in what sense?
Central 100%.
Lodolo and Greene have a combined roughly 1.5 era over 51 innings w 86k’s in AA. Bring em up to spot start, relief start, and fill in games. Let em eat innings and this lineup will do it’s part. Reds can build momentum if they bring up young studs and that’ll generate a ton of buzz.
Garcia from last year changed his name but he came out hot too and had legit defense.
Hope to see management make some moves !
India
Winker
Castellanos
Votto
Suarez
Moose
Senzel
Barnhart
Very solid lineup when healthy
Bot, I can’t believe I’m giving you the thumbs up. Thought you were an Ex-Red fan. Sweeping the Cardinals in a four game series in St. Louis has them contending.
Well Sonny Gray has done yoeman’s work pitching close to 50 innings this year. It’s about time he claimed injury and took a break from his, you know, job.
Because he wants to get injured often. Weak take.
Bad luck votto is back , the reds play better with out this bum time for him to hang it up
Votto has been one of baseball’s best players over the last decade or more. No, he’s not what he used to be, but calling him a bum is…well, actually somewhat expected in an anonymous comment section. Weak, but expected.
He’s no bum but that last decade you mention must not include his last 3 seasons.
Here is how Votto is trending lately (OBP, OPS, OPS+) per MLB Reference…
2017: .454, 1.032, 167
2018: .417, .837, 126
2019: ..357, ..768, 94
2020:..354, .800, 105
2021: .311, .728, 89
Also telling is how the iBB numbers have decreased precipitously during that span, indicating that opposing teams no longer fear him (see the related HR trend).
Is the guy a bum? Absolutely not. But past performance does not help a team win games today, and since 2019 Votto has been, at best, an average offensive player, with the trend suggesting that will not improve for the better.
Unfortunately, Votto is in steep decline. The fact that he’s first base only doesn’t bode well for what has happened to his bat.
Only 12 more years left on this deal
Or 2 1/2 years (assuming a team buy out) if you live in the real world.
Votto far out performed his contract in the earlier years. This is how long-term contracts work. They are a bargain for the team in the early years and a burden in the latter years.
Votto reminds me of Fred McGriff in how 1994’s short season affected his legacy. McGriff already had 34 homers that year. If not for the work stoppage, he would have more ta 500 HR and probably be in the HOF. Votto is similar, what with last year’s short season, the threat of a work stoppage in 2022, and the funny stuff being done to the baseball. He needs all the breaks he can get to enhance his Cooperstown credentials. WAR of 60.3, OPS+ of 147, six top-10 MVP finishes, and 1,932 hits. At his time, probably on the outside looking in. It’s as if the baseball gods are conspiring against him. Does he anything at all left in the tank?