Joey Votto clowned for his laughably bad call during Braves-Phillies Game 3

Joey Votto called his shot on live television and it blew up in his face.

The former Cincinnati Reds great was part of Thursday’s Wild Card Game 3 broadcast between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. The Braves led the visitors 3-0 with one out in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Zack Wheeler, who only entered the game to start the 3rd inning, was not responsible for the Phillies’ three runs allowed. He retired four of the first five batters he faced without much effort, prompting Votto to make a bold prediction during Braves slugger Austin Riley’s at-bat.

“As good as Zack Wheeler looks, this game is as in-play as it gets,” Votto said as Riley fouled off a Wheeler payoff pitch. “I do not see the Braves scoring any more runs the rest of the way.”

Votto may have accidentally put a hex on Wheeler, as the veteran starter ended up walking Riley. Two pitches later, Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer on a middle-middle fastball to extend Atlanta’s lead to 5-0.

Joey Votto with one out in the 4th: "I do not see the Braves scoring any more runs the rest of the way"

LITERALLY FOUR PITCHES LATER: pic.twitter.com/6nSrUDUc18

— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) October 2, 2026

Fellow announcer CJ Nitowski implored Votto not to check his mentions on social media, and for good reason. Braves fans flamed Votto for doubting their team and being proven wrong in a hurry.

Has literally the opposite everything that Joey Votto said this entire series almost immediately happened?

— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) October 2, 2026

Suck on this Joey Votto https://t.co/D6HQ1zHdS6

— Noel Rodriguez (@votanoel2024) October 2, 2026

Joey Votto: I don’t see the Braves scoring anymore runs.

Ozzie Albies a few pitches later: pic.twitter.com/Wwk4z38nM9

— Brice Zimmerman (@ZimGlish) October 2, 2026

This was less than two minutes after Joey Votto said the Braves wouldn’t score the rest of the game. What a clown. https://t.co/L48lpDVLsJ

— Tobiñ (@CTobin10) October 2, 2026

Votto, who is in his first year as an NBC broadcaster, made a rookie mistake that Braves fans probably won’t forget.