TORONTO — After nearly two decades, former Reds first baseman Joey Votto is retiring from baseball.
The 40-year-old made the announcement on social media Wednesday night, saying he "played this sport with every last ounce of my body, heart and mind."
"I was myself in this sport. I was able to be my best self. ... Thank you for everything," he said.
Votto thanked former teammates and coaches including Dusty Baker, Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen — and took extra time to thank the city he spent so long in.
"Cincinnati. I've only played for you. I love you," Votto said.
He parted ways with the Reds in November 2023 after 17 seasons in the Queen City. While he agreed to a non-roster invite from his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, he never played for the team, stating "I'm just not good anymore."
Votto finishes his career with a .294 batting average, 356 homers and 1,144 RBIs in more than 2,000 games. He was a six-time All-Star and was named the National League MVP in 2010.
