Joey Votto Rumors: Reds not interested in a reunion with veteran hitter, per report

The latest MLB free agent rumors from Wednesday suggest that the Cincinnati Reds are not interested in a reunion with veteran first baseman Joey Votto for next season. The 40-year-old veteran spent his entire major league career with the Cincinnati team, but missed the majority of the last two seasons due to injury. Moreover, the Reds have already signed infielder Jeimer Candelario earlier in the offseason, essentially as a replacement for Votto.

Joey Votto was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2002 MLB draft and went on to make his major league debut for them in 2007, after five years in the minors. While he cemented his position in the team the following year, he had a breakthrough season in 2010, which remains his best season till today. He won the NL MVP and the NL Hank Aaron Awards that year.

Over the course of his career, Votto has made the All-Stars six times, being a reliable bat and first baseman for the majority of his career. However, with rising injury concerns at the age of 40, the Reds seem unwilling to re-sign him from free agency. With the addition of Candelario, the versatile infielder is expected to be the experienced bat in the infield.

Are the LA Angels in for Joey Votto?

While the Cincinnati Reds have seemingly made it clear that they are not interested in a reunion with Joey Votto, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported that the Los Angeles Angels are interested. Some rumors also report that the first baseman was spotted at the LA team's stadium on Wednesday.

In a season hampered by a shoulder injury, Votto slashed .203/.314/.433 with 14 home runs in 242 plate appearances for the Reds last year. He brings plenty of MLB experience along with a proven ability to hit, but the cause for concern is his injury-prone history. Could he be a valuable addition to the LA Angels roster?