January 25, 2020

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto has long been a staple of fantasy baseball lineups, but those days are numbered. He was a trendy buy-low candidate coming into last season because of his starling track record despite a down 2018, but unfortunately, for those that bought in, 2019 was not much better for Votto. The former MVP slashed career lows for a season that he has played over 110 games, which has happened 11 of his 13 years in the pros. His season line was .261/.357/.411 with 15 HR, 47 RBI, and 79 runs. That is not cutting it as a starting option at first base in the 2020 fantasy landscape. His current ADP sits at 261 in January, and he is the 27th first baseman taken off the board. That means he is basically free in 10 and 12-team leagues, and yet there are still more attractive options behind him in ADP like Justin Smoak (485) in Milwaukee and Rowdy Tellez (548) in Toronto. Even if you play in a points league, his strongest format, Votto is not a difference-maker anymore. His walk rate (12.5%) was the lowest since his sophomore season in the majors, and his strikeout rate (20.2%) was a new career-high. Joey Votto used to be an MVP-caliber player with skills that made him stand out from the league, but he is barely above-average now. His WRC+ of 101 tells us that. His declining skills, unattractive ADP, and lack of standout talent make Joey Votto a waiver-wire candidate in 10 and 12-team leagues this draft season.--Euan Leith