Former Blue Jay Joey Votto lands unexpected new job

NBC Sports officially announced during their Super Bowl pregame show that Votto, along with recently retired stars Clayton Kershaw and Anthony Rizzo, will join the network as studio analysts for the 2026 season.

This isn't just a win for the network; it's a massive victory for baseball fans everywhere who craved more of Votto's unfiltered genius.

Votto’s role will see him on pregame shows for "Sunday Night Baseball" and, crucially, during the Wild Card round coverage on NBC and Peacock.

After a 17-year career where he slashed .294/.409/.511 and captured the 2010 NL MVP, his transition to the studio feels destined.

We watched him charm the world while mic’d up in Cincinnati, and now that personality gets a national stage.

He joins a heavyweight trio. Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young winner, and Rizzo, a World Series champion and four-time Gold Glover, bring serious pedigree to the desk.

But let's be real: Votto is the wildcard we are all tuning in for.

His ability to break down hitting like a scientist while cracking jokes that only he understands is exactly what modern baseball coverage needs.

For Blue Jays fans, there is a bittersweet flavor here. We all wanted that storybook ending in Toronto, but seeing him thrive in this new chapter is the next best thing.

He joins Bob Costas, who returns to host, ensuring a mix of old-school reverence and new-school insight.

Votto has always been one of the most thoughtful minds in the sport, and now he doesn't have to filter it through a PR team.

Expect deep dives on approach, hilarious self-deprecation, and a uniquely Canadian perspective on the "Grand Old Game" (oops, the sport we love).

This is the content we deserve.