Cincinnati Reds' first baseman Joey Votto is done for the 2022 season as he is set to have rotator cuff surgery this Friday, per the team’s official Twitter account. The 38-year-old Votto turns 39 next month and is playing in his 16th season.
Votto has spent all of his career with the Reds. Despite the team trading away the team's highlights over the past two seasons, Votto has remained a staple of this team. In 2021, he hit the second most home runs of his career with 36 big flies. While 2022 hasn’t gone his way at the plate, he has become an even bigger fan favorite by his presence on the social media app TikTok.
Votto was hitting .205 this season with 11 home runs and 41 RBI through 91 games. Cincinnati won their game on Wednesday 1-0 against the Philadelphia Phillies with a walk-off single by Jose Barrero. They move to 46-70 on the year and sit in fourth place of the NL Central, 18.5 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The recovery timeline is expected to be four to six months which suggests that Votto will be ready for spring training if he decides to play next season. He is set to earn $25 million in 2023, and then there is a $20 million club option for 2024, per Spotrac.