Caylor Arnold, USA TODAY SPORTS
Joey Votto, first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, has struggled the past two seasons, especially by Votto’s standards. The 2010 National League MVP played in only 63 games last season while battling leg injuries.
Simply put, Votto was not himself last year. He didn’t hit for average, batting just .255. He didn’t hit for power, hitting just six home runs. And he didn’t drive in runs, notching just 23 RBIs.
But in the offseason, Votto worked hard to get his body back into shape, and it’s showing already in the 2015 season. Heading into Friday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, Votto was hitting .361, had an on-base percentage of .466 and a slugging percentage of .721. Votto already has six home runs this season, matching last year’s total in just 16 games. However, the Reds lost to the Cubs 7-3 on Friday.
The left-handed batter has shown that he is still one of the game’s best hitters when he is healthy. He has a career batting average of .311 and has hit 169 career homers in nine seasons.
Votto is on pace in 2015 to match his MVP numbers from 2010. That season, he batted .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs. If Votto continues his torrid start, he’s on pace to surpass his 2010 numbers, which would put him squarely in the MVP discussion this season.
The Reds have had their problems on offense so far this season, and teams are starting to try to pitch around Votto. But when he has the opportunity to get pitches to hit, Votto is taking advantage. It may be hard to keep up his early pace, but even if he doesn’t earn another MVP award, it’s good to see Joey Votto healthy and playing well once again.
Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
