Joey Votto's path to big leagues continues to hit roadblocks

While just one step away from returning to the majors, a misstep kept Joey Votto from making his debut with the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple A affiliate of the Blue Jays.

Activated from the Minor League Injured List and added to the Bisons roster Friday, Votto tweaked his right ankle during pregame work. He did not play in Buffalo's 1-0 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and will be re-evaluated Saturday.

Votto had been with the Dunedin Blue Jays, Toronto's Single-A affiliate, and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Blue Jays on a rehab assignment. With Dunedin and the FCL Blue Jays, Votto went 8 for 43 with three doubles, a home run, and eight RBI. He did draw eight walks and post a .321 on-base percentage in 16 games.

The right ankle was the injury that has slowed Votto's quest to return the majors. The ankle was injured in March after Votto signed a minor-league deal with Toronto, and just moments after he homered on the only pitch in his only spring plate appearance. Last season, Votto hit 14 home runs in just 65 games for Cincinnati and became just the ninth player in MLB history to hit a home run on his 40th birthday. He homered off of Andrew Suarez on Sept.10 in St. Louis.

The 40-year-old first baseman spent 17 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and is a six-time All-Star. Votto is also a Gold Glove Award and Hank Aaron Award winner, as well as the 2010 National League Most Valuable Player. He is a .294 lifetime hitter with a .511 slugging percentage, and a .409 career on-base percentage. If he makes it back to the majors, Votto would be the active MLB career leader with 2,056 games played, 1,365 walks and 3,706 total bases.

Votto told the Bisons website his mindset is focused on competition and his performance. Usually players will tinker with making small changes, such as with a swing, but that takes time to see results. Votto said he doesn't think tinkering helps him as much as playing in games.

"I've always found that immersing myself in competition and chasing performance more or less refines my game quicker," Votto said. "I'm going to do everything to compete and help this team."

Once he takes the field for Buffalo, Votto will become the sixth major-league MVP to play for the Bisons. That list includes Johnny Bench, Phil Cavarretta, Gabby Hartnett, and Lou Boudreau. The most recent was Juan Gonzalez, who played in Buffalo in 2005.