Cincinnati Reds Open to Bringing Back Legend in Non-Playing Capacity
At the outset of the offseason, the Cincinnati Reds declined their $20 million option on first baseman Joey Votto. They later said that they had no intention of bringing him back as a player in 2024, however, general manager Nick Krall says that he's very open to bringing Votto back someday in a non-playing role.
The following comes from MLBTradeRumors (with a link to a subscription-required link from the Cincinnati Enquirer):
The veteran has received interest from the Blue Jays and Angels this offseason but remains unattached. Whether he finds a new playing gig or not, it seems he has future job opportunities on the table. Krall tells Gordon Wittenmyer and Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the club would welcome Votto back for some kind of role in his post-playing days.
“I’ve left the door open for that,” Krall said. “I’d love to have Joey in the organization, once his playing days are over. He’s a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer. He’s very well respected in the organization, and we all love him.” The exact nature of that role would likely be determined in the future, with the article floating possibilities such as a mentor, coach, special assistant, etc.
It makes sense that the Reds would want him back in the future. He's well-liked in the clubhouse and is a career-long Red (to this point). He undoubtedly would have a lot to give the organization and players in it.
But again, all this will come at the conclusion of his playing days. It remains to be seen if he'll find a gig this offseason, but he has received the aforementioned interest.
A lifetime .294 hitter, Votto is one of the more accomplished players of the last 20 years. He's got a .409 on-base percentage lifetime and has hit 356 career home runs. The slugger also owns a pristine resume with six All-Star appearances, a Gold Glove and an MVP award.
He's led the league in on-base percentage in seven separate seasons. He spent 17 years with the Reds and is a borderline Hall of Famer.
He hit .202 last season as he battled injury. Unfortunately, this led him to accumulate just 208 at-bats.
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