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NY Post
New York Post
20 Jun 2023


NextImg:Joey Votto blasts homer, go-ahead single in Reds return after 10-month absence

Joey Votto’s MLB return on Monday was nothing short of triumphant.

The Reds first baseman, who was out for 10 months after undergoing surgery to repair his left biceps and rotator cuff, blasted a home run and a go-ahead single in Cincinnati’s 5-4 win over the Rockies in his first game back.

Votto launched a first-pitch fastball off of Rockies lefty Austin Gomber 381 feet to right field in the fifth inning, putting the Reds up 3-1.

The 39-year-old then donned a Viking helmet and fur cape, as is the custom in the Cincinnati dugout.

He followed up that blast with an even more pivotal hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, when he smoked a two-run, go-ahead single up the middle to give the Reds a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.

Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto watches his solo home run during a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Monday, June 19, 2023.
AP

Votto is returning to a Reds team that has caught fire over the last month.

Cincinnati is on a nine-game winning streak and took sole possession of first place in the NL Central with their win on Monday night.

“I feel much more like myself,” Votto said before the game. “I’m back to full health. Ten months is a long rehab. If I’m going to rejoin a winning ballclub, my responsibility is to be up to speed with them.”

In a Cincinnati youth movement that features 26-year-old second baseman Jonathan India, electric 21-year-old shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and 23-year-old flamethrower Hunter Greene, Votto is returning as the oldest player on the active roster.

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto acknowledges the fans after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Monday, June 19, 2023.

Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto acknowledges the fans after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Monday, June 19, 2023.
AP

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Monday, June 19, 2023

Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Monday, June 19, 2023.
AP

The Reds, 38-35, have been to the playoffs only one time since 2013, when the postseason was expanded to 16 teams in 2020.

“I’ve been witness to the culture in this clubhouse,” Votto said. “Things are changing for the better.”

Votto is in the last season of a 12-year, $251 million contract.

The 2010 MVP winner has hit 343 home runs in his career and owns a .297/.412/.514 batting line over 17 years.