Cincinnati Reds Should Pass on Joey Votto, Even If It's Tempting to Sign Him

The Reds don't need Votto.

Author:
Jeff Carr
Publish date:
Mar 6, 2024 10:25 AM EST

In this story:

The Cincinnati Reds have benefitted from having one of the best pure hitters in franchise history manning first base for the last 17 years. The absence of Joey Votto was always going to be jarring, but that doesn't mean they should bring him back for an 18th season.

I would like to preface this by saying that Votto has been one of the best players to ever wear a Reds uniform. He is on the Mount Rushmore of Reds and will see not only his number retired, but he'll also make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This is an assessment of his ability for 2024, not his career.

The last two years, Votto has been plagued by injuries and ineffectiveness. Between the shoulder and biceps surgery he had to undergo, and Father Time catching up to him, Votto endured two of the worst years of his career.

In those two seasons, Votto has played in 156 games and amassed 530 at-bats. He has a batting average of .204 and an OPS of .711 over that span. He is striking out at a 25% rate, which is 3% more than league average. His hard hit rate went from 53.2% in 2021 to 41.3 % in 2022 and on down to 39.7% last year. While that is still slightly above league average, it shows the decline he has experienced even in his power.

To sum it up, he has been a below average hitter. His WRC+ is 95, or five points below average, for these past two years and he has been worth -0.8 Wins Above Replacement.

Take away the name on the back of his jersey and this isn't a player the Reds need. Beyond his declining abilities at the plate, Votto can play two positions: first base and designated hitter. Truthfully, he should spend most of his time as a DH. The Reds don't need a player with his limitations.

“Why not platoon him?”

Votto didn’t have platoon splits these past two years. In 387 at-bats against right-handed pitchers over the past two seasons, he's posted a .199 average. He’s even getting on base less than 30% of the time against righties. So if we rule out positional flexibility and we rule out platooning, how much will he play? One day a week?

Any thought about Votto's return to the Reds is purely sentimental. Would it be cool to see him have some sort of goodbye tour? Sure. Neither the Reds, nor Votto, want that though.

The Reds are entering one of their most anticipated seasons in years. They have plenty of talent and the ability to get to the playoffs.

A rebuilding team with few expectations may benefit from a goodbye tour for a franchise legend, but that is not where this team is at the moment.

The Reds shouldn't bring Votto back this season.

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