Could Vosler stick around when Votto returns?

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- Jason Vosler has made quite an introduction to Cincinnati. The corner infielder has already made a case to stick around for a while with the Reds. Last week, Vosler wasn’t so sure that would happen.

A non-roster invitee to Spring Training, Vosler broke camp with the team but his chances of making the Opening Day roster largely hinged on whether first baseman Joey Votto would be ready.

Following an intrasquad scrimmage on March 27, manager David Bell let Vosler know he wanted to have a conversation.

“I was showered and ready to leave,” Vosler said. “David came up to me and said, ‘Can you hang around for 10 minutes?’ I sat in my chair for 10 minutes and it was the longest 10 minutes ever. I knew it was going to be the decision one way or the other.”

Votto would not be ready. Vosler was told he made the team and that he was going to be on an Opening Day roster in the big leagues for the first time. He started the first game vs. Pittsburgh at first base and hit a game-tying two-run triple.

“It ended up being a good conversation,” the lefty-hitting Vosler said. “I wasn’t positive at any stretch. Toward the end of Spring Training is when I got hot. But at the beginning, I wasn’t doing all that great. I’m not saying it was a surprise, but I wasn’t sure at all. Toward the end, I started doing a little better and feeling my swing a little more and I felt a lot more confident.”

Vosler, 29, played 77 big league games with the Giants in 2021-22 but logged eight seasons in the Minors since being drafted by the Cubs in 2014. This past offseason, he signed with the Mariners on Jan. 18, but was released 10 days later when Seattle changed its plans. He signed a Minor League deal with the Reds on Feb. 1.

Vosler is batting .333 with a 1.467 OPS, three home runs, seven RBIs and five extra-base hits in five games. He’s homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, including a 444-foot drive to right field on Tuesday vs. the Cubs.

Votto is eligible to return Thursday, but Bell indicated this week that Votto will likely need more rehab assignment games at Triple-A Louisville.

When Votto does return, it won’t necessarily come at Vosler’s expense on the 26-man roster.

“He’ll start getting a little bit more work in the outfield,” Bell said. “I’m confident he could play second base. He’s played short. Between first, third, second and occasional outfield, when Joey comes back, for example, we’d still be able to get Jason at-bats and get him in there.”