Video: Joey Votto Doubled Against a Four-Man Outfield

Stopping Joey Votto is harder than you think.

Joe Maddon pulled out every trick imaginable to stop Joey Votto on Monday night but it wasn’t enough. 

With Votto up and nobody on, the Cubs employed the seldom-used four-man outfield shift in an attempt to minimize the chances of an extra-base hit. Third baseman Kris Bryant moved out to left-centerfield as the Cubs shaded against an opposite-field hit to the outfield. 

Cubs using four outfielders for Votto #reds pic.twitter.com/9xJ7GRBAhZ

— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) August 15, 2017

When Joey Votto comes up to hit and you decide to break out the slow-pitch softball configuration... pic.twitter.com/Htxum6NnpX

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) August 15, 2017

And how did that work out for them?

Joey Votto: Breaker of shifts. pic.twitter.com/57lh5lrhRM

— MLB (@MLB) August 15, 2017

Leave it to Votto to find the one spot on the field not covered by any kind of conventional—or unconventional—shift.