Joey Votto: Reds Are Playing 'The Most Enjoyable Version of Baseball I've Ever Seen'

When veteran first baseman Joey Votto made his return to the Cincinnati Reds lineup earlier this week, he experienced something unfamiliar, as he found a squad playing with an unmatched sense of joy amid an impressive win streak.

"This is not a sell, my contract is guaranteed... but truly, the television doesn't do it justice. Watching these guys live is bigger, faster, dirtier–the game is fast but these guys are faster. This is the most enjoyable version of baseball I think I've ever seen," Votto told reporters after the Reds earned their 12th straight win by defeating the Atlanta Braves 11-10 on Friday night.

Votto hit both the game-tying and go-ahead home runs in Friday's victory, which snapped Atlanta's eight-game win streak and helped Cincinnati tie its second-longest win streak in franchise history. It was just his fourth game back in the lineup after he was forced to sit out for 10 months following surgery to repair his biceps and rotator cuff.

"I'm hitting sixth on this team, happily," Votto added. "I get to watch the guys in front of me. I'm not in the way. I get to watch these guys in front of me zoom around the bases. It's not just because of the winning streak, either. I'd say that if our record was different."

This season is a stark contrast to the Reds' 2022 campaign that saw them finish with a 62-100 record, which was tied for the second-worst record in the National League. It was their first 100-loss season since 1982.

Now, Cincinnati looks like it has turned a corner thanks to a balanced lineup that ranks eighth in the majors with 373 runs scored. The addition of electric rookie shortstop Elly De La Cruz has breathed new life into the Reds, as he's batting .361 with three homers and 10 RBI in 15 games this year. He became the first Cincinnati player to hit for the cycle since 1989 in Friday's win over Atlanta.

Votto, Cruz and the rest of the Reds will look to keep the momentum going in Saturday's matchup against the Braves.