Votto's offseason plan: Get healthy, prep for big '23

CINCINNATI -- Going into the final year of his contract while rehabilitating from a major shoulder surgery isn't an ideal spot for Joey Votto. The 39-year-old Reds first baseman recognizes that the stakes are high to come back strong in 2023 after a very poor '22.

"Ideally, I’d like to be as prepared as I’ve ever been for a Major League season," Votto said on Friday as Redsfest got underway. "There’s no non-dramatic way to say it, but I have to perform well or I’m not going to be in a good place in terms of my career.”

Votto, who had surgery on Aug. 19 to repair tears in his left rotator cuff and biceps, endured the worst season of his celebrated career. He batted .205 with a .689 OPS, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 91 games -- all career lows. He is entering the final year of his 10-year, $225 million contract extension he signed in 2012.

Last week, Votto shared a video on Instagram of him taking the first swings since the surgery.

“Rehab has been going really well," said Votto, who was sporting a thick offseason beard. "All I’ve been doing is rehabbing, training and sleeping. This has been my focus since surgery, and I’m happy with the progress. Swinging the other day was fun. I got back on the tee yesterday, and I swung really well. But I feel like getting to the Major League speed is completely different, which is ultimately where I have to get to.”

Reds manager David Bell believed Votto might be ahead of schedule. His first swings weren't originally expected until around the turn of the new year.

The plan after the surgery was for Votto to hopefully be ready to go around the time Spring Training started.

"It’s great," Bell said. "I know he’s going to do everything he can. He’s going to want to be 100% ready to go, but with the way he works and his commitment, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s ready to go on time. But we’ll have to take it one step, one month at a time."

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During a typical offseason without an injury to battle back from, Votto wouldn't have picked up a bat this early.

“When I was going really good, I wouldn’t hit for the entire offseason," Votto said. "I’d work off the tee a little bit in January or maybe even February just to prepare for Spring Training. I’ve always found that the best way to ruin a swing is by working on it in the offseason.

"Whereas now, I’m going to have to do a lot of swinging between now and Spring Training. But I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to swinging pain-free. I’m looking forward to correcting a lot of the mistakes I made last year in preparation and in performance during the season."

Votto hasn't felt concern about his status in the game since the early days of his career.

"When I first got called up, I was two-thirds of the way through an MVP season [in 2010] where I still thought I’d get sent down if I didn’t perform well," Votto said.

Those days are long over, but Votto's drive to be the best hasn't waned. In the weeks and months when he couldn't swing, he was watching video of the game's best hitters to help him figure out why he didn't do well last season.

Who is Votto watching?

"The Yordans and Harpers and José Abreu -- there are quite a few. I’ve always done this," Votto said. "I’ve always done the really good ones and tried to see the characteristics. I think that the style of hitting from the best hitters reflects where the game is in terms of how players are being pitched. … All the very good hitters are set up very nearly identical in terms of their balance, and I do think that’s a reflection of their reaction to the way they’re being pitched. I wasn’t in line with that style. I’ve always been in line with that style. It’s interesting."

Votto also watched video footage of another great hitter doing well during his best days -- himself. What he found was he had become too much of a pull hitter in recent seasons. He's made the correction in past years and plans to do it again.

"I did go through stretches, and the correction was always to go to my bread and butter: Be balanced, [and] drive the ball through the middle of the field," Votto said. "I’m looking forward to making these adjustments."