Joey Votto already is making headlines in his first plate appearance for his hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Votto, who batted second in the order, homered on the very first pitch he saw in the Blue Jays’ Grapefruit League game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday in Clearwater, Fla. The former Cincinnati Reds slugger connected on a fastball from the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler to give Toronto a 1—0 lead in the first inning.
The ball traveled 392 feet and appeared to bounce off the top of the wall back onto the field. Although the Phillies argued the hit shouldn’t have been ruled a home run, the call stood because there were no replay challenges in the exhibition game.
First pitch swinging 😮
It’s @JoeyVotto‘s FIRST homer in a #BlueJays uniform! pic.twitter.com/1cVrONpJ0N
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 17, 2024
MLB fans and pundits couldn’t get enough of Votto’s first homer as a Blue Jay.
JOEY VOTTO BLUE JAYS LEGEND pic.twitter.com/Fchyw50lO1
— Jordan Cicchelli 🤍 (@jordancicchelli) March 17, 2024
Joey Votto going yard on the very first pitch he sees in a Blue Jays uniform is just so Joey Votto pic.twitter.com/Rqq5q8ciln
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) March 17, 2024
Votto still bangs. https://t.co/gBF0YrOYIK
— Olivia Ray (@OliviaRayTV) March 17, 2024
Joey Votto the last two years:
Today: HR on the first pitch he sees as a Blue Jay
Last June 19: HR in his first game of the season
Last Sept. 10: HR in his first game off the Injured List
Some guys just know how to make an entrance https://t.co/NMZfUGVwp8
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) March 17, 2024
We LOVE to see it!!! https://t.co/R0Gu21L8g9
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 17, 2024
He’s home
— Nealer (@Nealerrr) March 17, 2024
🐐
— Michael Wilder (@iamwilder12) March 17, 2024
Watch this man make the roster and have the best 40 year old season ever
— Christo Aivalis 🌹🍊 (@christoaivalis) March 17, 2024
Perfect! Meant to be 👊🏼🇨🇦⚾️🧢
— Four-seam fazzball (@holdmeiholdu) March 17, 2024
Etobicoke’s own. 🇨🇦👍
— Big John 🏒🥅🚨💙🇨🇦 (@JKBubba7) March 17, 2024
It was Votto’s lone at-bat for the day, as the 40-year-old first baseman rolled his right ankle in the dugout and was replaced by Glenn Santiago in the second inning.
Votto signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on March 8 after playing his first 17 MLB seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. The former NL MVP has a career .294 batting average with 356 homers and 1,144 RBIs.
Joseph Daniel Votto 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/ak1DY3yfXa
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 17, 2024
