Joey Votto returned to the Cincinnati Reds lineup a week ago after having been sideline with a busted thumb, and has done nothing since then but swing the bat like he generationally pissed at the baseballs thrown his way.
He’s socked a trio of dingers and driven in a full dozen runs in seven games since returning. adding yet another formidable bat to a Reds lineup that - if it stays healthy - could end up being quite the damn force for the rest of the 2021 season. Votto, of course, has long been the toughest out of his generation, but this year is being asked to serve a bit of a different role, a thumper in the heart of the lineup tasked with bashing in the guys constantly on-base in front of him, something he’s not had the good fortune of having around him in lineups for most of his career.