Reds' Joey Votto out 3-4 weeks with broken left thumb

Any hopes that Cincinnati Reds star first baseman Joey Votto exited Wednesday's win over the Chicago White Sox only as a precaution after he was struck in the left thumb by a Dallas Keuchel pitch were quickly dashed following the game. 

As Charlie Goldsmith noted for the Cincinnati Enquirer, Reds manager David Bell confirmed that the six-time All-Star and one-time Most Valuable Player suffered a fractured thumb on the pitch that occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning of the matchup. Votto, who tried to tough it out before he was replaced ahead of the sixth inning, is likely to miss three-to-four weeks. 

Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Votto and the Reds are hopeful surgery won't be required to fix the issue.  

"I knew I was in pain," Votto told reporters following the victory. "I thought I was being a baby. I just wanted to stay in the game, but I didn't think I could grip the bat and I was having a hard time putting my glove on. I could run and I was moving well and I thought, 'just give it some time, it should shake at some point … It broke, what are you going to do?" 

Votto was hitting .226 with five home runs and 17 RBI across 29 contests this season before the setback.