Did Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins force Joey Votto’s hand into sudden retirement call?
Blue Jays GM paid a visit to rehabbing star in Buffalo before social media announcement
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Was there more at play to Joey Votto’s retirement than meets the eye?
With baseball fans still coming to grips with the sudden retirement of the Canadian baseball legend, there’s a new angle that has emerged.
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Did Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins force Joey Votto’s hand into sudden retirement call? Back to video
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According to TSN reporter Scott Mitchell, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made the drive to Buffalo to speak with the veteran slugger before speculating that it was to deliver some bad news.
“I’ve heard Ross Atkins made the drive to Buffalo today to have a convo with Votto, I believe with the intention of telling him a call-up was highly unlikely, leading to a parking lot IG post,” Mitchell posted on X on Wednesday night.
Fans on social media were split on the news, with some feeling that Atkins did the Canadian dirty.
“Ross Atkins should’ve kept driving and never came back,” one user replied, adding “Fire them all, name Joey the Manager.”
“Dude should have gotten 1 game. Come on Reds in TO! Zero class,” another wrote.
“The Jays aren’t playing for anything. They should have called him up to play in the Reds series and then he could retire after that,” a third posted.
Others applauded Atkins for doing the deed in person and making the right move.
“That’s class from Ross Atkins to do the deed mano a mano in Buffalo,” one user wrote.
“I know it’s the right move but still sucks. Wanted this guy to play for the Jays for so many years and wish it could have happened,” another replied.
Votto had been playing with the Blue Jays triple-A team in Buffalo while working to return an injury suffered during spring training.
He made his abrupt retirement announcement on Wednesday night while the Blue Jays were taking on the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre in their series finale. Votto spend the first 17 years of his career with the Reds before joining his hometown team this off-season.
“That’s it, I’m done, I’m officially retired from baseball,” he said in the video shot in a parking lot.
Along with the video, Votto gave his heartfelt thanks to the many people that helped him during his career.
“One of the best to ever do it!!! Congrats on an epic career buddy!! Enjoy the next chapter,” fellow retired Canadian MLB star Russell Martin commented.
“Congratulations on an amazing career. You’re a class act & a tremendous ball player,” Jose Canseco wrote.
The IBL’s Toronto Maple Leafs even offered Votto a chance to reconsider and join their team.
“Congrats Joey, there’s always a spot for you down at the pits if you want to get a few more swings in,” the team’s account replied.
Later in the evening Votto posted on X during his ride to the stadium.
“Driving to the stadium right now. My Uber driver asked, ‘Are you a player?’ I said, ‘No.’”
The official MLB account replied: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
“If he asks if you’re a hall of famer you should say ‘yes,’ another fan replied.
Votto ends his career after 2,056 MLB games, during which he had 2,135 hits and 356 home runs. He fell just short of Larry Walker’s record for most career hits by a Canadian, which stands at 2,160.
Votto won the NL MVP in 2010 and was a six-time all-star with the Reds.
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