(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Joey Votto, the heart and soul of the Cincinnati Reds, might be 39 but he is proving he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
On Tuesday, he hit another home run, his eighth of the season in just 22 games.
With a .222/.349/.597 line, he is showing that he still belongs with the young guys.
The long ball was the 350th of his career, and it allowed him to enter an exclusive club in MLB history.
“@JoeyVotto becomes the 16th player in MLB history with 350+ HR, 2,000+ hits and an OBP of at least .400,” the team’s official account tweeted.
.@JoeyVotto becomes the 16th player in MLB history with 350+ HR, 2,000+ hits and an OBP of at least .400. pic.twitter.com/JMVyP5Up62
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 19, 2023
Only 16 hitters in the history of the game have hit at least 350 homers, 2,000 hits, and have an OBP of at least .400, and Votto is now one of them.
The other 15?
Stan Musial, Barry Bonds, Mel Ott, Jim Thome, Babe Ruth, Chipper Jones, Mickey Mantle, Frank Thomas, Jimmie Foxx, Manny Ramirez, Ted Williams, Todd Helton, Lou Gehrig, Jeff Bagwell, and Larry Walker.
To think Votto belongs in that club should tell you a lot about the kind of career he has had, one that includes an MVP award and multiple accolades.
There is an important thing missing in his resume, though: a World Series championship.
Votto seems to believe that this group of guys, one that is currently second in the NL Central with a 50-46 record, has what it takes to win it all.
He might be right, but they might need an impact pitcher or two.
Votto is enjoying, perhaps for one last time, the thrill of being in a postseason race.
It has been a good season for him since he returned from his shoulder injury, and things could get even better.
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