In Clearwater, Florida, Joey Votto made a memorable entrance as he debuted with the Toronto Blue Jays. On his very first pitch with the team, he hit a home run. This veteran first baseman sent the ball flying 392 feet to left-center field. This impressive hit came off Zack Wheeler, the ace of the Philadelphia Phillies, during the first inning of a spring training game on Sunday.
There was a moment of uncertainty about whether the ball had actually cleared the fence. Votto paused at second base, waiting. However, the umpires confirmed it was a home run, and he completed his run to home plate.
Votto’s move to Toronto was driven by a desire to return home. He signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays after an impressive 17-season run with the Cincinnati Reds. At 40 years old, Votto entered free agency last autumn. This was after his $251.5 million, 12-year contract with the Reds concluded. The Reds had chosen him in the second round of the 2002 amateur draft from Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto.
Votto, a six-time All-Star and the 2010 NL MVP, boasts a .294 batting average. Over 2,056 games, he has hit 356 home runs and 1,144 RBIs, with a .409 on-base percentage. Following the 2023 season, Cincinnati decided not to pick up his $20 million option for 2024.