In this story:
The 2022 season may be over for Reds slugger Joey Votto, but even rotator cuff surgery couldn’t dampen his famous sense of humor. Read also : Netflix expands its push into video games, but few subscribers are playing the game.
After the team announced that he underwent successful surgery Friday to repair a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, Cincinnati’s first baseman joked on Twitter about why his year is coming to an end.
“I didn’t know I was hurt. I thought I just stank,” Votto wrote.
Votto, a six-time All-Star and former National League MVP, is right to point out that his performance this season has not been up to his usual lofty standards. Before announcing the surgery earlier this week, the 38-year-old was hitting .205/.319/.370 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs in 91 games.
However, Votto’s shoulder injury appears to have had a significant impact on his hitting performance in recent weeks. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the star first baseman was hitless over his last 22 at-bats, marking the longest hitless streak of his career. He also failed to reach base in the last four games, the first time in his career.
Although the Reds announced that Votto needed surgery to repair more damage than previously thought, the team expects him to return by the start of spring training in 2023.
“As of today, my focus is just getting Joey back by spring training,” Reds manager David Bell said. “I know he’s going to be in good hands and he’s got to heal and all that, but I know he’s going to work really hard to get back next year. I know he already thinks this way and is excited about it, and so am I. Now it’s all behind him and he can look forward to spring training in 2023.”
Daily Cover: How Tua Tagovailoa Became the NFL’s Most Polarizing Player
