Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is a free agent this offseason. The way he described the experience doesn’t exactly sound comfortable.
Votto had his $20 million club option declined by the Reds last month. The decision left the former NL MVP in unfamiliar territory heading into the new year — without a team.
The 40-year-old summed up how free agency felt with a great quote referencing Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 Oscar-winning movie “Gravity.” The movie starred Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts who escaped death while facing peril in space.
“Being a free agent is like that scene from Gravity where Sandra Bullock detaches from the Explorer. You’re all alone, no one is answering your calls, and you don’t know if you’ll get back to base. Your only hope is George Clooney saving you.
“Save me, George,” said Votto on X.
Being a free agent is like that scene from Gravity where Sandra Bullock detaches from the Explorer. You’re all alone, no one is answering your calls, and you don’t know if you’ll get back to base. Your only hope is George Clooney saving you.
Save me, George.
— Joey Votto (@JoeyVotto) December 28, 2023
Votto rarely gives a bad quote. This one, likening himself to Sandra Bullock hurtling into the cold abyss in space, is no exception.
Votto was asked about the prospect of retiring after the Reds cut ties with him last month.
The 6-time All-Star appears to still want to extend his baseball career. He’s just waiting for a team to be the Clooney to his Bullock in “Gravity.”
In 2023, Votto had a career-worst batting average of .202 with 14 home runs across 65 games. The longtime Reds star, who has a career on-base percentage (.409) similar to Mike Trout (.412), had his OBP drop to a career-low .314 last season as he battled a shoulder injury.
Votto has a .294 career batting average with 356 home runs (91st all-time) and 1,365 walks (34th all-time) across 17 MLB seasons.
