Votto hopes for return to form: I don't view myself as a backup

As long as he's able to play at the level he's accustomed to, Joey Votto has no intention of hanging up his spikes.

In order to do that, however, the Cincinnati Reds first baseman acknowledged he'll have to up his game next year once he returns from shoulder surgery.

"If I play like (I did this year), I'm not going to be able to play anymore," Votto told Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "There's no question about that. This performance level is unsustainable. No one wants to give a major-league roster spot to a player that performs like this. That's clear. I'd become a bench player. I'd become a backup. I'd become a platoon player. As I sit here right now, I don't view myself in that role."

Votto was in the midst of a career-worst season prior to being shelved due to a torn rotator cuff. The 38-year-old posted an on-base percentage below .350 for the first time, his .689 OPS was 79 points lower than his previous worst mark, and he was mired in an 0-for-22 slump when he was shut down.

Injuries may have played a major role in the downturn. Votto underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff that he admitted to playing through for quite some time. Still, he refused to use the injury as an excuse.

"I can't stand making excuses or even talking about this, but I do think there may have been a connection between my performance and my injury, but maybe not," he said. "Honestly, maybe not. We'll find out. That's something I'm very much looking forward to. I'm excited about that challenge."

Votto's injury has also brought his future with the Reds into question, as the 16-year veteran has just one guaranteed year remaining on his $225-million contract. While some veterans might be tempted to go ring-chasing down the stretch of their careers, Votto is quite content to finish with the rebuilding Reds - the only team he's ever known.

"Of course, I want to start my career and finish my career in the same uniform. That's a priority for me," Votto said. "I only have so many years left. ... I'd like to finish it in the same uniform. I think the pride part of me wants to tell a story.

He added, "I want to finish my career well and hopefully the team plays well and I get to be part of a championship. That's a little less in my control, but we'll see how that goes."