Joey Votto injures ankle, scratched from scheduled start for Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays infielder Joey Votto was scratched from his scheduled start for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday night after reinjuring his right ankle during pregame warmups.

The Blue Jays said Votto, who has missed time this season with ankle and lower-back issues, would be re-evaluated Saturday. This is the same ankle the 40-year-old from Toronto injured during spring training after signing a minor league deal with his hometown team on March 9.

Votto homered off Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler in his only spring training at-bat on March 17. He stepped on a bat in the dugout later in that game and was sidelined for the next three months.

The 2010 NL MVP from his lengthy career with the Cincinnati Reds, Votto returned to play 16 games in the lower levels of the minors in Florida over the past five weeks, primarily at Class A Dunedin. Starting in Buffalo against the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRaiders looked like one of the final steps necessary to getting back to the majors.

Over his first 17 seasons, Votto hit .294 with 356 home runs and 1,444 RBI in 2,056 games. A shoulder injury limited him to 65 games last season with the Reds, so far the only MLB team he has played for.

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