Where Does Joey Votto Fit into the Blue Jays’ 2024 Plans?

The Toronto Blue Jays had a peculiar offseason. They were in the running for Shohei Ohtani before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and ended up heading into the 2024 season with a handful of much smaller additions including Kevin Kiermaier, Justin Turner, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Another such addition was Joey Votto, whom the Blue Jays signed to a minor league deal. Votto, one of the most decorated Canadian baseball players in MLB history, was cut loose from the Cincinnati Reds after 17 years with the organization.

The signing was met with immense fanfare, as Blue Jays fans are always keen when a Canuck joins the squad, especially someone of Votto’s name and stature.

The acquisition was even more intriguing given the Blue Jays had an open roster spot for a left-handed bat heading into the year. That said, Votto signed late in spring training, and Daniel Vogelbach, another lefty masher on a minor league deal, was putting up solid numbers to that point.

Votto’s performance for the Jays this spring was exciting but brief.

Facing the Phillies, he demolished a home run to center field for a solo shot off Zack Wheeler. Upon getting back to the dugout, he tripped on a bat and suffered an ankle injury that would keep him on the sidelines until mid-June.

Votto split a month between Rookie ball and Single-A before taking a couple of weeks off toward the latter half of July with another ankle issue, which flared up right before his Triple-A debut.

Joey Votto’s Fit with the Blue Jays

With the Jays now firmly out of playoff contention and Votto healthy and taking regular at-bats in Buffalo, it’s time to ask the big question: Will fans in Toronto see the former NL MVP donning a Blue Jays jersey before the end of the season?

That’s a tough question to navigate. The ‘feel-good’ story would be to call him up for a swan song type of send-off – a top Canadian baseball player finishing his career with the only major league squad north of the border – but where does he fit in on the roster?

At this point in the season, the Blue Jays are giving internal prospects a chance to prove themselves at the big league level. With the organization pushing the idea that they will still contend in 2025, the Jays are giving their prospects a chance to play under the bright lights to see who might be in consideration for more reps next season.

Young Players Getting Their Chance To Shine

Spencer Horwitz has found himself playing regularly over the past month, and the Jays even decided to move on from Cavan Biggio earlier this summer to bring his bat to the big leagues.

The lefty-batting Horwitz was hitting well after his call-up but has cooled off a bit over the past few weeks, sporting a .282 OBP with 16 strikeouts through his last 78 trips to the plate.

Alongside Horwitz in the big leagues is Addison Barger, who had a cup of coffee with the club earlier this year when Kevin Kiermaier landed on the IL.

Barger rejoined the Jays in late July and has been getting regular at-bats after the trade deadline. He is still trying to find consistency in the batter’s box (.192/.250/.423 slash line since the deadline), but with a violent swing that can lead to big power and the ability to play multiple positions, he will get some runway to end the season.

Other youngsters who have joined Horwitz and Barger in the big leagues are Leo Jiménez, Luis De Los Santos (now back down in Triple-A), and Steward Berrora. Jiménez has been getting the most reps of the group, as he fills in for Bo Bichette, who is currently nursing a calf strain.

The opportunity for more playing time also extends to those who spent some time on the bench to begin the season – most notably Ernie Clement. He is now playing regularly after the recent trades and the Bichette injury.

Trade Deadline Acquisitions

On top of internal promotions, the Blue Jays have also utilized some of the players they acquired at the trade deadline to round out the active roster. Most notable is Joey Loperfido, who the Jays acquired from the Houston Astros as part of the package for Yusei Kikuchi.

Loperfido rode the options bus for Houston to start the 2024 season but has been getting regular reps for Toronto following the trade. However, he has struggled since the deadline, collecting just five hits through 39 at-bats (.128) while striking out 18 times.

More recently joining the big league squad in Toronto was Will Wagner, who the Jays also acquired in the Kikuchi trade.

He started his Jays tenure at Triple-A but continued to find ways to get on base, and the club eventually demoted De Los Santos to give Wagner a chance to get some MLB at-bats.

Wagner’s debut went as well as anyone could have hoped. He drove a ball to right-center field for a double for his first big league hit, and finished the day with two more hits and an RBI.

Is Time Running Out for Joey Votto and the Blue Jays?

It doesn’t exactly bode well for Votto that the Blue Jays are giving so many prospects and young players their chance in the spotlight.

This doesn’t mean he has no chance for a potential call-up, as he continues to grind away in Triple-A, but it adds another hurdle that the veteran first baseman will have to overcome.

So far in Buffalo, the lefty batter has four hits through 23 at-bats (.174) with one home run and three RBIs. He has five walks compared to 12 strikeouts while splitting time between first base and the DH spot.

If Votto has a path to the big leagues, it will be because of his bat and ability to hit for power – something that hasn’t been on display much during his small sample in the minors.

Still, for a Jays fanbase looking for something to root for in a lost season, calling up the Canuck may be a feel-good story fans could latch onto. As well, Votto is chasing some Canadian offensive records, and it would be a treat for Jays fans to see this accomplished at the Rogers Centre.

Moreover, as the Blue Jays give their young guys more leeway and opportunities to play, there is going to be a learning curve. The veteran presence of Votto could be a nice benefit – he is a mentor figure that younger players can latch onto and learn from.

The problem is that this would come at the expense of someone else’s spot on the roster, likely Loperfido, Berrora, or Wagner.

A September Call-Up for Joey Votto?

The Blue Jays could wait to call up Votto until rosters expand in September, which might be the best thing for both parties. The Jays could promote him without removing a prospect from the active roster, all while letting the Etobicoke, Ont. product continue to get game-ready in Buffalo until next month.

However, Toronto would still need to make room for Votto on the 40-man roster.

There are a few different avenues Joey Votto could take to don a Blue Jays uniform before the end of the season, but nothing is set in stone.

Promoting Votto makes sense on a few levels, but also has some drawbacks that might not play into the organization’s analytical method of thinking. Primarily, it would take away at-bats from players who are much more likely to be around next season.

We shall have to wait and see.