Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - A left quadriceps strain that has sidelined Joey Votto for nearly a week has landed the Cincinnati Reds slugger on the disabled list.
The Reds shelved Votto prior to Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals while reinstating outfielder Jay Bruce from the DL, just over two weeks after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Votto missed all six games on the Reds' current road trip with the injury and had been struggling at the plate prior to being held out. The 2010 National League MVP is hitting only .182 (10-for-55) with two home runs and two RBI over his last 16 outings.
The standout first baseman is batting a career-low .257 with six homers and 12 RBI in 39 games this season.
Since Votto has not played since last Thursday, the Reds were able to backdate the DL stint to May 16.
Bruce, who had his knee procedure on May 5, was not in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup but is expected to return when the Reds open a three-game series against rival St. Louis on Friday.
The two-time All-Star hit just .216 with three homers and 14 RBI over 30 games before the surgery.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.