Joey Votto has been a Cincinnati Red for 17 seasons. He currently is in the final weeks of a 10 year, $225 MM contract that has a $20 MM club option for the 2024 season. Recently he sat down with Jayson Start at The Athletic (subscription required) and truthfully discussed his future with the team.

Long time Cincinnati Reds Joey Votto truthfully discussed his future with the team (MLB News).
The Reds are currently in the midst of a playoff race and 39 year old Joey Votto is playing a significant role alongside several young players who are nearly half of his age. Aside from the shortened 2020 season, Cincinnati last made the post season in 2013. That was the final year of a stretch of three straight consecutive playoff berths that Votto was a part of.
With the quest for 2023 October baseball ongoing in what is essentially a contract year for Joey Votto, all of his focus is going towards trying to stay present in the moment.
I’ve tried really hard to not get too far ahead of myself because today, today’s at-bats and the next day’s at-bats, each day’s individual at-bats, defense, baserunning — they’re all basically a tryout. Not to other teams. Not to my team. But they’re actually a message I’m sending to myself on a daily basis.
Regardless of what happens over the final six weeks of the regular season Joey Votto knows that the organization has control over his fate, but he would love to finish his career with the Cincinnati Reds. His ‘jackpot” would be winning a championship with the team.
“If you’re asking about where I think I’ll be next year, I have limited control on that, right?. They (Cincinnati Reds) have an option. They have a team option for next year. And we’ll see what they have to say about it. Most importantly, we’ll see how they feel about me.
“You know, it’s time, at some point, to move on. Maybe they feel like they want to move on. … Maybe they feel like they don’t want to pay me, you know? Maybe they feel like there’s budgetary stuff. I have no idea whatsoever. All I can really do is run through this finish line and play. And to be honest with you, that’s really all … where my head’s at.
“I’ve been a Cincinnati Red my entire career. I have nothing but pride wearing this uniform. I would love to finish my career in a Reds uniform. But there’s only so much control I have over that. I don’t want to speak on contracts. But that’s up to them.”
“My jackpot is winning a championship with the Reds. So the idea of, like, glomming on with another organization to win a ring (isn’t that appealing).”
What happens with Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds this off-season will be something to monitor. For now, all of his focus is on helping today’s team win and inch them closer to the ultimate goal of a World Series championship.
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