Former Reds great Joey Votto retires: 'Cincinnati, I've only played for you. I love you'

TORONTO — The Cincinnati Reds ' franchise player of a generation, Joey Votto, announced his retirement on an Instagram post Wednesday just before the Reds started the final game of a series against Votto's hometown Blue Jays in Toronto.

Votto, who signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays in March after the Reds declined a contract option for 2024, had struggled with an ankle injury and more recently at the plate for Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

"That’s it. I’m done. I am officially retired from baseball," Votto said in a video that appeared to be shot in the parking lot of the Buffalo ballpark.

In a lengthy written message, he thanked family, friends and those who helped his career from youth ball through a major-league career that comprised 17 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, including a 2010 MVP award and six All-Star appearances.

"To Toronto," he wrote, "I wanted to play in front of you. Sigh, I tried with all my heart to play for my people. I'm just not good anymore. Thank you for all the support during my attempt.

"Cincinnati, I've only played for you. I love you."

He gave a lengthy shout-out to fans over the years who "energized me with your cheers; I loved the boos, the trash talk, the moment's where I broke a road city's moment, or was humbled on stage."

Only four players since 1900 played in more games for the Reds than Votto's 2,056: Pete Rose, Dave Concepcion, Barry Larkin and Johnny Bench. His .409 on-base percentage ranks second on the franchise's all-time list to only Joe Morgan (.415) and his .920 OPS second to Frank Robinson (.943).

The Reds’ all-time leader in walks (1,365) finishes his career with a .294 average, 356 home runs, 459 doubles and 1,144 RBIs.

"I was myself in this sport. I was able to be my best self," he wrote. "I played this sport with every last ounce of my body, heart, and mind."

Votto, who turns 41 on Sept. 10, was 6-for-42 (.143) in 15 games for Buffalo with one home run, eight walks and 22 strikeouts. He was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts Tuesday in his final game.

“I don’t think he’s delusional. I think he has a pretty good self awareness of what it takes for him to perform as he would expect himself to,” Blue Jays assistant general manager Mike Murov said Friday when asked about Votto ahead of the Reds-Jays series.

"He’s not looking to come up and wave to the crowd and get a goodbye. He’s looking to come up and hit,” Murov said. “It comes back to his ability to perform at the major-league level."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Reds great Joey Votto retires: 'Cincinnati, I've only played for you. I love you'