Reds' Joey Votto on pitch clock: 'It doesn't affect me at all'

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto takes questions during a press conference. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Reds' Joey Votto on pitch clock: 'If you set a 10-second clock... it doesn't affect me at all'

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 9/13/22

Cincinnati Reds six-time All-Star Joey Votto has seen a lot over his 16-year MLB career. In August, the 2010 NL MVP passed Hall-of-Famer Larry Walker for first place on the all-time list for games played by a Canadian.

Last week, along with the rest of the league, Votto saw MLB's competition committee officially vote to implement a pitch clock for the 2023 season and ban defensive shifts. The 39-year-old first baseman discussed the addition of a pitch clock during an appearance on The Athletic's Jayson Stark's "Starkville" podcast.

"If you set a 10-second clock...it doesn't affect me at all."

Incredible new Starkville!

Joey Votto on rule changes, analytics, Pujols, social media, the trouble with iPads & controlling his own future

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— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) September 13, 2022

The new rules will include a 15-second pitch clock when the bases are empty and a 20-second clock when runners are on base with the goal of increasing the speed of the game.

Votto has endured a rough 2022 season at the dish, as he has slashed .205/.319/.370 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs over 322 at-bats in 91 games. He underwent season-ending surgery for a torn rotator cuff in August.

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