Angels Interested in 6-Time All-Star, Former MVP in Free Agency: Report
The Los Angeles Angels are among the teams showing interest in future Hall of Fame candidate Joey Votto in free agency. Jon Heyman reported on Wednesday's Bleacher Report live stream that the Angels are "one of the teams" in on Votto.
"They are in on Joey Votto," Heyman said. "I think they like him."
It appears that the Cincinnati Reds will not be bringing Votto back, as on Wednesday, president of baseball operations Nick Krall told season ticket holders, "We don't plan to bring (Votto) back as of now."
So, if he Votto wants to continue his MLB career at the age of 40, it will have to be with a new team for the first time ever.
Votto was drafted in 2002 by the Reds, and has spent his entire career in Cincinnati.
He made his debut in 2007, and just completed his 17th season with the Reds in 2023.
The six-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove award winner and 2010 National League MVP has a career slash line of .294/.409/.511 with 356 home runs and 1,144 runs batted in. He's had four seasons with an OPS over 1.000, and nine seasons with at least 20 home runs.
In 2023, Votto appeared in just 65 games, hitting 14 home runs and 38 RBIs with an OPS of .747.
He missed the first two-plus months of the season recovering from surgery on his left bicep and rotator cuff, and went on the injured list at the end of August for over two weeks with a shoulder injury.
Votto doesn't appear ready to retire yet, though, and would make some sense for the Halos.
He appeared in 47 games at first base last year, and could play that position when Nolan Schanuel needs rest. Additionally, it's hard to find a better mentor at first base for Schanuel, as both he and Votto are left-handed, and Votto is set to go down as one of the best first baseman of all time.
It's unclear if Votto would sign a minor-league deal or just a cheap one-year contract. But either way, the Angels should pursue the MLB veteran.
Heyman mentioned the Toronto Blue Jays as another team potentially in the mix.
"I don’t want to rule out the Jays for Votto because, obviously, that’s the hometown team and that’s kind of been a dream of the fans forever. So I could see that."
