'Not' about the money: Why Cincinnati Reds say they declined Joey Votto's contract option

Nick Krall said he envisions a day Joey Votto will be inducted into the Hall of Fame wearing a Cincinnati Reds cap.

But on this day, the Reds baseball operations president said he could not envision enough playing time next year to keep one of the most significant players in franchise history on the roster.

So that’s why the Reds bought out Votto’s $20 million contract option for $7 million.

Not the money. That wasn’t a factor in the decision, Krall said. “No, it was not.”

Not mentorship, the relationship, the player, the person, either.

“You couldn’t have a better person than Joey Votto,” Krall said.

Cincinnati Reds: Joey Votto out as Cincinnati Reds decline 2024 option on franchise icon's contract

Will Joey Votto return to Cincinnati Reds by end of offseason?

After weeks of internal discussions, including “a lot of conversations” with owner Bob Castellini, Krall said, the Reds biggest player personnel decision in Elly De La Cruz’s lifetime came down to the youth-centric rebuild that turned a corner surprisingly early last year with 16 big-league debuts and 82 wins.

Krall, who joined the Reds organization the year after Votto was drafted in the second round in 2002, did not strictly rule out a possible return of Votto by the end of the offseason, depending on how free agency plays out.

But the Reds probably have a better chance of landing Shohei Ohtani, landing a date with Taylor Swift or landing on the moon.

“We’re not closing the door on anything,” Krall said. “I just think with the players we have on our roster right now, there’s no playing time. We’ve got to figure out how to get playing time for some of these players to keep moving forward. I think that’s where we are right now.

“Something could happen. But as of right now it’s not there.”

Williams: Don't lose sight of Cincinnati Reds' plan amid news Joey Votto's departure

Cincinnati Reds turn to the future following Joey Votto departure

And just like that, the Joey Votto Era of Reds baseball has ended.

Just like that, the next competitive step this team takes is entirely in the hands of its next-gen — and very, very young — core.

That’s the gamble the Reds take in cutting ties with Votto, tangibly as much as symbolically — but with a full-house promise suggested by Spencer Steer’s team-leading production, Matt McLain’s team-changing impact, Noelvi Marte’s .316 debut, Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s big power, and De La Cruz’s electrifying skillset.

Those five rookies were among the seven infielders Krall rattled off Saturday — along with Jonathan India and Nick Senzel — as infielders on the roster vying for potential playing time next spring.

After finishing two games short of catching the eventual National League pennant winner for a playoff spot, the Reds turned to the future.

“It was a tough decision that we had to make with where we are, looking at our roster,” Krall said of allowing the Reds’ definitive player of this century to become a free agent. It came almost a month to the day after Votto publicly said for the first time that he intended to play next season.

“At the end of the day, we felt this was the best decision for us.”

Krall said he couldn’t commit to a primary first baseman for next season at this point, although righty hitters Steer and Encarnacion-Strand would seem to have the inside tracks.

Although it seems like it would go without saying, Krall also acknowledged that he expects to have more spending flexibility this offseason than a year ago in free agency. Votto made $25 million in the final year of his franchise-record 10-year, $225 million deal in 2023.

Krall wouldn’t get specific about his offseason priorities, but pitching would seem to top his list, likely including a veteran starting pitcher.

Cincinnati Reds: Looking back at 7 of Joey Votto’s most Votto-iest moments

'He’s been a premium player. He’s going to be a Hall of Fame player'

As for Votto, the longstanding organizational — and personal — relationship “makes it a tough decision,” said Krall, who informed Votto early Thursday morning.

Votto was on vacation in Spain, said Krall, who put off the announcement until Saturday morning to give Votto a chance to return Friday and tell family and friends before the news became public.

“He’s been a staple on our major league team for a long time. He’s won an MVP (in 2010) and almost won another one (2021),” Krall said. “He’s been influential in the community, in the clubhouse. Everything he’s done has been first class, and this was a tough decision.

“There was a lot of conversation about the decision, about where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do, and we just felt like this was the best decision for us,” he added.

Speculation immediately turned to Votto possibly finishing his career with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, who have a first base/DH opening with the departure of Brandon Belt, another lefty-hitting veteran.

“It’ll be tough. It’ll definitely be tough,” Krall said of seeing Votto in another uniform. “But it would be tough to have him as just a pinch hitter, bat off the bench with the way our roster’s constructed right now. I respect whatever he wants to do next.

“If he plays in another uniform, that’s going to be tough. It’s going to be tough to watch,” Krall said. “But if we don’t have that playing time here for him, then I understand why he would want to do that as well.

“He’s been a premium player. He’s going to be a Hall of Fame player. In my mind I think he’s going to go in the Hall of Fame with a Reds cap on and I’m really excited to see that. I want to be there when that happens one day.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'No playing time': Why Cincinnati Reds cut ties with Joey Votto