Votto shares heartwarming reason he named dog after a Hall of Famer and Reds legend

Joey Votto has become a weekly fixture as a guest on “MLB Now,” and he provided some cuteness overload on Thursday with an excellent story to go with it.

Making this television appearance from his car, Votto also had a furry friend traveling alongside him. Host Brian Kenny asked Votto to show off his dog, then Votto panned his camera toward the young pup. He revealed that her name is Morgan, in honor of fellow Reds legend and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan.

“Joe Morgan, like one of the greatest players ever,” Kenny reacted. “I loved talking baseball with Joe Morgan. As a Red, you must have come across Joe a lot.”

And sure enough, Votto did. An MVP in his own right and a six-time All-Star, Votto called the late Morgan “the best.” Morgan was a driving force behind Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine in the 1970s, winning a pair of World Series on top of two MVPs and 10 All-Star nods.

“After I got my first Most Valuable Player, he said, 'Go get a second and then pass me.’ May he rest in peace,” Votto said. “You know how generous that is? So many players hold on tight to their legacy, and he didn't care. He wanted more for everyone else. I loved him for that. He was always coming up to me and treating me with respect. He was a wonderful, wonderful man, and he is missed.

“I really loved Joe Morgan, and it was my way of paying homage to him.”