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Courtney Schellin, ESPN.com 8y

MLB Rumor Central: Could Joey Votto land in Toronto?

Is there a possibility that Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto could be headed home in the near future?

On Monday, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star, citing sources, reported that the Toronto Blue Jays and Reds had "serious discussions" regarding Votto, a native of Toronto, at one point last season. ESPN's Buster Olney provided further context on Wednesday:

"The conversations started in the summer of 2015 while the Reds were in the midst of trading Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake, and engaging other clubs in discussion about Jay Bruce. While nothing happened before the trade deadline of July 31, both teams understood the talks could continue because Votto’s massive contract would ensure he’d pass through waivers. In August, the talks continued, with the Reds willing to eat a chunk of the money owed to Votto. ... The talks were serious, as Richard wrote, with some optimism that a trade would be completed -- but eventually, the discussions faded."

That said, Olney notes that there are "threads of past conversations in place" if the Reds and Jays decide to discuss Votto again, which could be the case this offseason as Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are set to become free agents.

Votto has been swinging a hot bat in the second half, racking upĀ 56 hits in 123 at-bats (.455), with 29 walks, 17 extra-base hits and only 19 strikeouts. If a deal is to take place, the 32-year-old would have to approve of the deal considering his full no-trade clause.

On his current deal, Votto is owed $172 million over the next seven seasons, with a $20 million option for 2024 that includes a $7 million buyout.

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