Joey Votto Reportedly Inks Reds Extension

The Reds came to terms on a three-year extension with first baseman Joey Votto, according to MLB.com.

The deal is worth $38 million and covers all of Votto's arbitration years, after which the slugger can become a free agent. It's expected to be officially announced sometime during the week, after Votto's physical.

Votto is, of course, coming off of a career year in which he hit .324/.424/.600 with 37 homers, 113 RBI and won his first NL MVP award. That .424 OBP and .600 SLG were both best in the National League, and they helped lead the Reds to their first NL Central title and playoff berth since 1995.

After that sort of year, the Reds have every reason in the world to lock Votto down before his salary spirals out of control in the arbitration process.

Between Jay Bruce's six-year, $51 million extension and Votto's new deal, the Reds have spent a big chunk of their offseason trying to lock down some price certainty with the young core that helped them to the playoffs last year.

They've done that now that those two are signed to reasonable deals, but they haven't done much to really improve the roster while their division rivals -- the Cubs, Brewers and even the Cardinals -- have all had busy offseasons. Of course, knowing what they have to pay Bruce and Votto in the coming years should give the Reds some flexibility next winter, should they fall behind someone in the 2011 NL Central race.