Reds star Joey Votto out indefinitely with fractured thumb

The Reds won the game Wednesday but lost veteran slugger Joey Votto to an injury in the process.

The Cincinnati Reds came away victorious Wednesday in a weird one. Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa bungled the decision-making in extra innings and the Reds went home with a 1-0 win.

Unfortunately, the team lost Joey Votto in the process. The veteran was hit by a pitch early in the game and it was revealed he fractured his thumb as a result.

Reds lose Joey Votto to fractured thumb

This is a tough blow for a Reds team that improved to 14-15 with the win. They remain in the hunt in the National League Central and losing the leader of the team will be tough to overcome. The focus now turns to how long Votto will be out.

Votto leaves, for now, with a .730 OPS and five home runs so far in 2021. He has also driven in 17 runs. The good news is that this injury is not going to keep him away from the dugout or his teammates.

Votto’s tenure in Cincinnati has not been filled with a ton of winning. The team has made the postseason four times since 2010, losing in the first round all four times. Last year saw the Reds go scoreless in two games against the Atlanta Braves.

But Votto’s attitude has never wavered, even if his power numbers have.

The veteran remains under contract through 2023 and the team holds a $20 million club option on him in 2024. So this injury is not the end of an era or anything like that. Votto being out is still, however, not great news and the Reds will have to stay focused if they want to have back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time since 2012-2013.