Joey Votto Backs Barry Larkin's Controversial Comments About Reds Front Office

Barry Larkin fired shots at the Reds front office and Joey Votto recently backed him.

Apr 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Former Cincinnati player and Hall of Famer Barry Larkin throws out the ceremonial first pitch to Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz, before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cincinnati Reds are going to finish below .500 this season and the fans are seemingly putting the blame on anybody they can. They've blamed the players for struggling to produce. They've blamed the coaching staff for not putting the team in the best spot to win. The fans have also blamed the front office for not setting the team up for success again this year.

Barry Larkin, a former Reds star and current Reds broadcaster, recently took some shots at the Reds' front office. Larkin insisted that some kind of change needs to happen if the Reds want to play at the highest level.

“I think these last three weeks of baseball playing against some of the better teams that are going to be going to the postseason really illustrates how far we are behind at this big league level," Larkin said on the broadcast. "And change has to happen. This city deserves better than that, and I know every player down there feels that. But something has to give. We have to get better because we are so, so far behind.”

And Larkin isn't the only one who believes this.

Joey Votto Voices Support of Barry Larkin's Comments

Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Former Reds star first baseman Joey Votto reacted to Larkin's comments with a short statement by posting "Captain Lark" and a "100" emoji in response to the comments.

Votto has been vocal in the past about his willingness to join the Reds in a different capacity at some point in the future. Many have called for Votto to be the team's new hitting coach if they look to move on from Chris Valaika. But Votto might be a better fit for a role in the front office, as he has a good grip on the old-school styles of hitting while also having advanced knowledge of the new analytics that go into it.

Either way, it's clear the Reds can't continue to trust the same front office to put a productive team on the field. They've struggled for years, and the excuse of the Reds being a small market is running out of legs to stand on. Change needs to happen. Larkin and Votto understand that. Ownership is going to need to make some big decisions this offseason.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds! Follow Cincinnati Reds OnSI on Twitter/X: @RedsTalkSI. Like Our Cincinnati Reds On SI Facebook Page. Follow Cincinnati Reds On SI on Instagram.