Over the last few seasons, there has usually been a correlation between Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto’s success at the plate and the emotion he shows on the field.
Last year, when Votto started to find a rhythm in late April, Votto showed his passion by bopping his head at second base and bouncing up and down after a go-ahead double in the seventh inning. When Votto homered in seven consecutive games last season, he developed a new home run celebration where he pointed to the back of his jersey.
During the first half of the 2022 season, Votto hit .122 through his first 22 games. He didn’t show much emotion during that stretch.
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Since he came off the COVID injured list on May 20, Votto ranks fifth in MLB in OPS. And his level of energy on the field has matched his level of success.
“I have like a month to make up for,” Votto said. “I’m still hitting sub .200. But it’s coming. I feel good. It’ll come fast. Very fast.”
Over the last two weeks, Votto has had nearly all of his memorable moments of the 2022 season.
On May 22, Votto called his shot and hit a go-ahead home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. When he crossed home plate, Votto borrowed Aristides Aquino’s home run celebration and stuck out his tongue.
Later that week, against the Chicago Cubs, Votto had a constant back-and-forth with Cubs relief pitcher Rowan Wick as they exchanged words after two at-bats.
“It can be one of the more enjoyable parts of the game, you know, competing, some talk,” Votto said after that game on May 25. “I really enjoy that part of the game. Sometimes, it can be overextended and it can be taken too far, but generally speaking, I enjoy that part as long as the other party is fine with taking it.”
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This week at Fenway Park, Votto spoke about his previous visit to Boston in 2014. He was hurt at the time, and he didn’t play well. As a result, he didn’t get a chance to match the energy of the crowd in Boston.
“I felt like I got bullied by the fans,” Votto said. “Normally, I can answer back, but I wasn’t at my very best, whereas now, I feel healthy, I feel strong, I feel like I’m in a good place. When they start giving it to me, I feel like I can answer back.”
Votto hit two doubles off the top of the outfield wall in Fenway, and he broke through at Great American Ball Park on Thursday. In the first inning, Votto gave the Reds a 3-0 lead with a no-doubt homer down the right-field line.
Since May 20, Votto was hitting .290 with a 1.136 OPS entering Friday night’s game. During that stretch, he has five doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI.
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His energy has extended to his postgame interviews. In the locker room after the game, Votto was speaking quietly about how he had a good feeling that he’d homer in the first inning.
“I just thought I was going to homer, just a feel, it’s hard to explain,” Votto said. Then he shouted, “And you do it!”
Votto could have taken credit on Thursday for calling his home run shot again, but he didn’t. In the middle of his at-bat, Votto told Reds third base coach J.R. House that he was going to homer. Votto meant that he was going to homer on a specific pitch, but he didn’t homer until a few pitches later.
“It’s no good,” Votto said. “I missed the first two, I was talking about that particular pitch and I missed it. So it doesn’t count.”
It was still a game-changing homer and another sign that Votto is turning around his 2022 season.
“I always say that Joey is like a sink or swim guy adapt or die,” Reds shortstop Kyle Farmer said. “He’s changing with the times. I’ve never seen someone do that as well as he’s doing. He works his butt off in the cage. He comes in every day and works his butt off. And it’s showing right now. He’s just a smart hitter and a confident hitter. When he’s hitting, our team is doing well.”
LONG VIEW: Between May 10 and May 21, Reds rookie Hunter Greene allowed only four total runs across three starts and 18 ⅔ innings. In his last two starts, Greene has allowed nine runs in 8 ⅔ innings.
Greene is the youngest pitcher in baseball with at least nine starts in 2022. Even for a pitcher with as much talent as Greene, Reds manager David Bell said development isn’t always linear.
“It’s definitely true,” Bell said. “Especially early in careers, but really your whole career is kind of like that. Seasons are like that. Games can be like that. But it’s a good way to look at the progress. Definitely, there are going to be dips. As long as in the big picture you’re going in the right direction.”
INJURY UPDATE: Reds right fielder Tyler Naquin went on the 10-day IL on Wednesday with a quad strain, and Bell said that Naquin had a PRP injection to help the healing process.
“It could be up to a month, but I also really believe he can get back sooner,” Bell said. “I’m no expert other than playing through quads. They can be a little bit different than a hamstring so maybe he can get back a little bit sooner. He got a PRP injection (Thursday) and that promotes healing. It could be a month, month-plus. But I’m definitely holding up hope that it can be much quicker.”
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