A Year of Unexpected Passions
When Joey Votto retired from the Cincinnati Reds in August 2024, he didn't settle into a quiet life at home. Instead, the former MVP turned his attention to a year‑long odyssey that has taken him from the sushi counters of Tokyo to the sun‑kissed beaches of Sri Lanka.
In Japan he pursued an official sushi‑chef accreditation, a credential he earned after months of rigorous training. The same country also became the backdrop for a rib injury sustained while surfing, which led to a bout of physical therapy in Tokyo that gave him a new appreciation for the country’s blend of tradition and modernity.
Training the Mind and Body
His wanderlust then carried him across Europe, where he spent a significant stretch in Cádiz, Spain, obtaining a yoga‑instructor certification and polishing his Spanish. From there he hopped to Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and finally Sri Lanka, where a three‑month stay allowed him to soak up diverse cultures and even visit historic sites such as Auschwitz‑Birkenau in Poland and the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.
Votto also used his travels to deepen his language skills, spending time in Mexico to refine his Spanish and reflecting on the ubiquity of Shohei Ohtani in Tokyo, where the young phenom’s image appears on everything from vending machines to storefronts.
Baseball Reflections
Back on the baseball front, Votto has been contemplating the length of his own career, drawing parallels to Albert Pujols’ late‑career home‑run surge. He hinted that, like Pujols, he might still have a few more seasons left in him, a notion he explored during a candid conversation with former MLB outfielder Doug Glanville on The Athletic’s Rates and Barrels podcast.
The episode also touched on his admiration for Ohtani’s global impact, his reflections on the sport’s evolving landscape, and the possibility of extending his playing days beyond the traditional retirement timeline.