Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

It was only three days ago that Etobicoke-native and former Cincinnati Reds player Joey Votto posted about how he misses playing baseball. Granted, it has been a brutal offseason for Votto since the Reds cut him loose, and the sluggish pace of the free-agent and trade market also didn’t help his case at all.

As time went by, it looked increasingly likely that the Canadian baseball legend would be forced out of the big leagues and into retirement. Then, something incredible happened. On Friday, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported on Twitter that Votto had agreed to a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays. Soon after, Votto confirmed the news on his Twitter account by expressing his excitement to join his hometown team. 

Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Votto found his way to the Blue Jays given that the Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins last year praised Votto as an incredible player with a remarkable career who can create a massive impact in the community if he were to be a Toronto Blue Jay according to Sportsnet reporter Ben Nicholson-Smith. Although the Blue Jays have not officially confirmed this deal, this contract would give Votto a chance to write his own feel-good story as he returns to play for his country and hometown. But through his interview with ESPN Broadcast, Votto expressed his desire to get back on the Major League field no matter what it takes because it’s the best game. It’s clear that for him, baseball isn’t simply just a job but it’s every facet of his life.

For Votto, earning a chance to work with a major league team, even in a minor league contract, is an opportunity for him to reach his full potential again. For the past two seasons, Votto dealt with shoulder injuries and witnessed young infielders on the resurgent Red teams, like Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, and Elly De La Cruz, slowly push out of his position. Even if the Reds eventually released him, the hopeful news is that there’s something left in Votto’s tank. Despite his disappointing results in the 2023 season, Votto still produced an average exit velocity of 89.3, a hard hit percentage of 39.7, a weighted on-base average (wOBA) of .326, an expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA)of .298 and a barrel percentage of 11. However, at 40 years old, it is unclear how productive he will be as a designated hitter if Votto were to contribute to the 2024 Blue Jays team as a regular player. 

The only problem is that the Votto signing, even at a minor league level, doesn’t make much sense for the 2024 Blue Jays as a whole. Toronto just signed designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach to the same minor league deal Votto signed while signing designated hitter Justin Turner at a major league level while bringing in super utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a major league deal. Internally, the Blue Jays also have Santiago Espinal, Cavan Biggio, Ernie Clement, David Schneider and Ernie Clement who can also play infield. The bigger issue is that first base is already Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s spot, which doesn’t give much time for Votto to play the position. 

From that perspective, Votto’s signing is a puzzling move for a team with World Series aspirations. Another problem is that Votto isn’t technically guaranteed a major league spot either, with his contract with the minor leagues. There is a possibility that he can outperform his stats to make his way to the major league roster, but Votto will have to prove his ability once again to fight for a spot. 

But maybe that’s the whole point of the 2024 Blue Jays team. They were never meant to make sense from the beginning. Not too long ago, Toronto was heavily involved in Shohei Ohtani’s free agency saga that eventually ended in an inevitable heartbreak. That storyline itself never made much sense since the Los Angeles Dodgers were always the favourite to bring Ohtani on a long-term deal. Sure enough, the Blue Jays filled in their gaps with unexpected, under-the-radar players instead of aiming for bigger starts in the free agency or even the trade market. 

After all those additions, including Votto’s deal, Toronto now has two players in their 40s with one too many infielders on its 40-man roster. This probably wasn’t the roster the front office or fans envisioned in the beginning. The team was supposed to be filled with youthful mega stars that always performed to their level and made solid playoff appearances year in and year out just like the Dodgers. That’s what every team aims and aspires to be and there’s a reason for that. But sometimes, letting those expectations go could do wonders.

Just look at how the Washington Nationals proved everyone wrong in 2019 with the oldest roster in the league. Reliever Fernando Rodney was 42, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was 35, starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Aníbal Sánchez, and both designated hitter Howie Kendrick and catcher Kurt Suzuki were 36 that year. To the 2019 Nationals, being old didn’t matter because the players believed that they could still contribute while playing at a high level. That belief and performance brought them all the way to winning a World Series against all odds. Much like the scrappy Nationals, Toronto’s confounding roster will quickly become less of a problem if the veteran players can still be productive for Toronto. 

There’s plenty of will to win in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse even with the relatively underwhelming offseason. The existing players have a chip on their shoulders because they understand that they need to perform better this season and win at least one playoff game. Incoming veteran players like Justin Turner and Joey Votto bring their burning desires to show up on the field each day with purpose. 

As cynicism and doubt mount around Toronto’s ability, the team has never had a better opportunity to launch its comeback. With that backdrop, Votto’s signing brings more chaos to the Blue Jays’ already-crowded roster. But his presence was never meant to be calm or logical. Votto is anything but ordinary – he has always been an unpredictable, bigger-than-life character who baseball fans have always loved rooting for. As delusional as it sounds, perhaps Votto is one more veteran that Toronto needed to inject life into its ailing core. So, bring on the chaos and let Votto play.

Let history unfold to show what magic Votto can bring at home.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO

 





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