Joey Votto, 40, who had signaled his impending retirement due to injuries and poor play at an untimely age, will continue his active career.

On July 7 (ET), Votto appeared on “The Dan Patrick Show” and expressed his desire to play through 2024, according to MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball.

“I want to play again,” Votto said, “at least one more year,” according to the report.

Votto’s 10-year, $225 million guaranteed contract with the Cincinnati Reds expired after this season. He has a $20 million team option for the 2024 season and a $7 million buyout.

It is unlikely that Cincinnati will exercise Votto’s team option. Votto will need to sign elsewhere if he wants to play through the 2024 season.

Votto seemed to anticipate the parting of the ways, removing his cap to a standing ovation at the final home game of the season on Sept. 25.

A 17-year major leaguer, Votto was one of the most accurate hitters in the game during his prime. He was a six-time National League All-Star and a one-time Gold Glove winner.

His best season came in 2010, when he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and he batted .324 with 37 home runs, 113 RBI, 106 runs scored, 177 hits, a .424 OPS, and a 1.024 slugging percentage.

At the time, Votto was a top-tier hitter, combining accuracy with power and some of the best vision in the majors.

Over the course of his 17-year career, Votto played exclusively for Cincinnati, batting .294 with 356 home runs, 1144 RBIs, 1171 runs scored, 2135 hits, a .409 OPS, and a .920 slugging percentage in 2056 games.온라인바카라

This season, however, he was plagued by injuries and inconsistency. In 65 games, he hit just .202 with 14 homers and 38 RBIs, a .314 OPS and a .747 slugging percentage.

It looked like Votto would retire at this point. However, Votto has made it clear that he wants to extend his career. It will be interesting to see if Votto will play his age 41 season.