| Albert Pujols | |
|---|---|
 Pujols with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008 | |
| First baseman /Designated hitter | |
| Born: (1980-01-16)January 16, 1980 (age 45) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 2, 2001, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 4, 2022, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .296 |
| Hits | 3,384 |
| Home runs | 703 |
| Runs batted in | 2,218 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (Spanish pronunciation:[puˈxols]; born January 16, 1980) is aDominican-American professionalbaseballmanager and formerfirst baseman anddesignated hitter who is the manager of theLeones del Escogido of theDominican Professional Baseball League. He played 22 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSt. Louis Cardinals,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels, andLos Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "the Machine" (Spanish:La Máquina), Pujols is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Pujols was a highly regarded hitter who possessed a "combination ofcontact hitting ability,patience andraw power."[1][2][3] He was theNational League (NL)Most Valuable Player (MVP) in2005,2008, and2009 and is an 11-timeAll-Star (2001,2003–2010,2015,2022). He was a six-timeSilver Slugger and won twoGold Glove awards at first base in his career. Pujols twice led the NL inhome runs and once each inbatting average,doubles, andruns batted in (RBIs). Pujols surpassed3,000 career hits, becoming the 32nd MLB player to reach that milestone.[4] During his final season, Pujols moved into second place all-time for careerRBIs andtotal bases and became the fourth player with 700 career home runs.[5]
Pujols was born and raised inSanto Domingo,Dominican Republic, mostly by his grandmother, America Pujols, and 10 of his uncles and aunts. He is an only child. His father, Bienvenido Pujols, was a softballpitcher who struggled withalcoholism. Pujols often had to take his father home when he got drunk following games. Growing up, Pujols practiced baseball using limes for balls and a milk carton for a glove.[6] Pujols, his father, and his grandmother immigrated in 1996 toWashington Heights in New York City, where Pujols witnessed a shooting at abodega.[7] Partly because of the shooting, they moved two months later toIndependence, Missouri, to join some relatives.[6][8][9]
Pujols played baseball atFort Osage High School in Independence and was named an All-State athlete twice.[10] As asenior, he waswalked 55 times intentionally, but he still hit eighthome runs in 33at-bats. One of his home runs travelled 450 feet (140 m).[6]
After graduating from high school a semester early in December 1998, he was given a baseball scholarship toMaple Woods Community College.[10] Pujols hit agrand slam and turned anunassisted triple play in the first game of his only college season.[11] Playingshortstop, hebatted .461 with 22 home runs as afreshman before deciding to enter theMajor League Baseball (MLB)draft.[6]
Few teams were interested in Pujols because of uncertainty about his age, which position he would play, and his build.[6][11]Tampa Bay Rays scout Fernando Arango recommended that his team sign Pujols, and quit his job when Tampa Bay failed to do so.[12] Pujols was not drafted until the 13th round of the1999 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, when theSt. Louis Cardinals selected him with the 402nd overall pick.[13] Pujols initially turned down a $10,000 bonus and spent the summer playing for theHays Larks of theJayhawk Collegiate League (a summer league in theNational Baseball Congress).[14] When the Cardinals increased their bonus offer to $60,000, he signed.[11]
Pujols began his minor league career in 2000 playingthird base with thePeoria Chiefs of the single-AMidwest League. He batted .324 with 128hits, 32doubles, sixtriples, 17 home runs and 84 RBI, in 109 games.[15] He was voted the league'sMost Valuable Player and named to the All-Star team.[16] Pujols also played 21 games with thePotomac Cannons in the high-ACarolina League that year, batting .284 with 23 hits, nine doubles, one triple, two home runs and 10 RBI. He finished the 2000 season with theMemphis Redbirds in theAAAPacific Coast League (PCL), and after appearing in three regular season games with them, he batted .367 in the playoffs and was named the postseasonMost Valuable Player (MVP) as the Redbirds won their first PCL title.[6][17][18]
Duringspring training in2001, incumbent first basemanMark McGwire told CardinalsmanagerTony La Russa that if he did not promote Pujols to the major league roster, "it might be one of the worst moves you make in your career."[19] La Russa later recounted the "myth" that Pujols only made theOpening Day roster in 2001 becauseBobby Bonilla was injured. According to La Russa, he and the rest of Cardinals management were impressed enough by Pujols that they decided to promote him to the big league club even before Bonilla's injury.[20] Cardinals executive John Vuch backed this up, calling the link between Pujols and Bonilla an "old wives' tale" and stating that the competition for the last roster spot was actually between Bonilla andJohn Mabry.[21] Although the team did not require Pujols to fill any particular position, the Cardinals activated him to the Opening Day roster, and he started all season at third base,right field,left field, orfirst base.[22]
On Opening Day against theColorado Rockies on April 2, Pujols became the first major league player born in the 1980s. In that game, he recorded his first career hit, asingle against pitcherMike Hampton in an 8–0 loss.[23] Four days later, he had three hits and three RBI — including his first home run — against theArizona Diamondbacks'Armando Reynoso in a 12–9 win.[24] On April 9, in his first career home game, Pujols hit a two-run home run in his first at bat againstDenny Neagle of Colorado.[25] Through 2015, he was one of three players to hit 20 or more home runs in their rookie year before July, along withWally Berger (1930) andJoc Pederson (2015).[26] At midseason, Pujols became the first Cardinals rookie sinceLuis Arroyo in 1955 to make theAll-Star Game.[10] He finished the season batting .329 (sixth in the league) with 194 hits (fifth in the league), 47 doubles (fifth in the league), 37 home runs, and 112runs. His 37 home runs led the Cardinals, toppingJim Edmonds' 30 and McGwire's 29.[27] He was named theNational League (NL)Silver Slugger Award winner for the third base position, and he finished fourth in NLMost Valuable Player (MVP) voting, behindBarry Bonds,Sammy Sosa andLuis Gonzalez.[10][28] He was unanimously named the NLRookie of the Year after setting an NL rookie record with 130 RBI's (fifth in the league) and becoming the fourth MLB rookie to hit .300 with 30 home runs, 100 runs, and 100 RBI's.[29]
The Cardinals finished the 2001 season with a 93–69 record and advanced to the playoffs as the National Leaguewild card team.[30] The team advanced to theNL Division Series (NLDS).[31] In Game 2 on October 10, Pujols hit a game-winning two-run home run against Diamondbacks pitcherRandy Johnson in a 4–1 victory.[32] The Cardinals, however, were eliminated in five games, and Pujols had just two hits in 18 at-bats.[10][33]
After playing several positions in 2001, Pujols spent most of2002 in left field.[34] He began the season battingcleanup but was moved in May to the third spot in the lineup, where he remained for the rest of his Cardinals career.[35][36] Pujols hit his 30th home run and 100th RBI of the season in a 5–4 loss to theCincinnati Reds in August, making him the sixth Cardinal to have back-to-back 30-home-run seasons and the second Cardinal (the other wasRay Jablonski) to start his career with back-to-back 100-RBI seasons.[10][37] The following month, Pujols hit a game-winning two-run single againstPete Munro in a 9–3 victory over theHouston Astros that gave the Cardinals theNL Central title.[38] Pujols finished the year batting .314 (seventh in the NL) with 185 hits (tied for fourth in the NL), 40 doubles (eighth in the NL), 34 home runs (10th in the NL), 118 runs scored (second in the NL to Sosa's 122), and 127 RBI's (second in the NL).[39] He became the first player in major league history to hit over .300 with at least 30 home runs, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBI in his first two seasons. Pujols finished second in MVP voting to Bonds, becoming the first Cardinal sinceStan Musial to finish in the top four in MVP voting for consecutive seasons.[10] At the end of the 2002 season, Chris Haft ofMLB.com called him "an outstanding hitter."[40]
Pujols' contributions helped the Cardinals finish third in home runs and second in batting average and RBI; the Cardinals' pitching staff also finished fourth in ERA.[41] The Cardinals again reached the playoffs, and Pujols had three hits and three RBI in a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks in the2002 NLDS. The team advanced to the2002 NL Championship Series (NLCS), but lost in five games to theSan Francisco Giants. Pujols had five hits, one home run and two RBI in the series.[42]
Five Cardinals were named to theAll-Star Game in 2003 while Pujols led the NL in votes.[43] It was the first of eight straight seasons that Pujols would reach the All-Star Game.[44] From July 12 to August 16, Pujols had a 30-gamehitting streak, tied for the second-longest in Cardinals' history with Musial and behind onlyRogers Hornsby's 33-game streak.[45][46] On July 20, Pujols hit his 100th career home run, a game-winner in a 10–7 victory over the Dodgers. He became the fourth major leaguer to hit his 100th home run in his third season, along withRalph Kiner,Eddie Mathews andJoe DiMaggio.[47] Pujols hit his 114th home run on September 20 in a game against the Astros, which tied him with Kiner for the most home runs by a player in his first three seasons.[48]
In 157 games, Pujols hit 43 home runs (fourth in the league, behindJim Thome,Richie Sexson and Bonds) and had 124 RBI's (tied with Sexson for fourth and behindPreston Wilson,Gary Sheffield and Thome).[49] He became the youngest player sinceTommy Davis in1962 to win theNL batting title after batting .359, and he led the league in runs (137), hits (212), and doubles (51).[10][49][50] Pujols joined Rogers Hornsby as the only players in the Cardinals' history to record more than 40 homers and 200 hits in the same season.[10] Though his stellar play had Cardinals' fans chanting "M-V-P!" during home games as early as June, Pujols again finished second to Bonds in MVP voting.[51] He won his second Silver Slugger Award[52] and firstSporting News Player of the Year Award.[46] Pujols' contributions helped the Cardinals rank second in batting average and third in home runs in the NL; however, the pitching staff posted a 4.60 ERA, which was below the league average, and the Cardinals missed the playoffs.[53]
After receiving many awards in his first three seasons, Pujols was rewarded monetarily for his accomplishments on February 20,2004, when he signed a seven-year, $100 million contract extension with a $16 million club option for 2011 with no-trade provisions.[54] He was moved to first base in 2004 after the Cardinals tradedTino Martinez in the offseason.[55][56][57] On June 16, he hit awalk-off home run againstReds pitcherMike Matthews in the 10thinning of a 4–3 victory.[58][59]
Pujols' highlights later in the season included a July game in which he hit five RBI and three home runs in a thrilling win over the rivalChicago Cubs, and another in which he broke up ano-hitter byGiants pitcherDustin Hermanson.[60][61] During a September game against theRockies, he earned his 500th RBI, joiningJoe DiMaggio andTed Williams as the only players to have 500 RBI in their first four seasons. He said he was confident there was going to be "a lot more."[62] Although Pujols was diagnosed withplantar fasciitis during the second half of the season, he finished the season with a .331 average (fifth in the league), 196 hits (fifth), 51 doubles (second toLyle Overbay's 53), 46 home runs (tied withAdam Dunn for second behindAdrián Beltré's 48), and 123 RBIs (third, behindVinny Castilla's 131 andScott Rolen's 124) in 154 games.[10] He also led the league with 133 runs scored.[63] On defense, he tied for the league lead in errors by a first baseman, with 14.[64] He finished third in MVP voting (behind Bonds and Beltré), joining Musial as the only Cardinals to finish in the top five in voting for at least four years in a row.[65] He won the Silver Slugger Award at first base, the third position he won the award at.[66] Pujols, along with teammates Edmonds and Rolen, earned the nickname "MV3" for their phenomenal seasons; Pujols led the three in home runs and batting average.[67]
The Cardinals won the NL Central, aided by pitcherChris Carpenter, who won 15 games and had a 3.46 ERA his first season with the team en route to winning theNational League Comeback Player of the Year Award.[68][69] In Game 4 of theNLDS against theDodgers, Pujols hit a three-run home run againstWilson Álvarez and had four RBI as the Cardinals won, 6–2, and took the series three games to one.[70] In Game 6 of theNLCS, Pujols had three hits, scored three runs (including the winning run), and hit a two-run home run off Munro in a 12-inning, 6–4 victory.[71] The Cardinals won the series in seven games, advancing to theWorld Series for the first time since 1987. Pujols was named the NLCS MVP after batting .500 with four home runs and nine RBI.[72] He was one of three Cardinals batters hit over .250 in the series against theBoston Red Sox, batting .333 as the Cardinals were swept by Boston in four games.[73]
By2005, many baseball fans thought that Pujols was the best Cardinal since Musial.[74] Pujols picked up his 100th RBI of the season on August 31, joining Williams, DiMaggio andAl Simmons as the only players with 100 RBI in their first five seasons.[75] Pujols hit his 200th career home run in a game against the Reds on September 30, making him the third-youngest major league player to reach that milestone (behindMel Ott andEddie Mathews) and the second-fastest to reach it (behind Kiner).[76] In 161 games, Pujols batted .330 (second toDerrek Lee's .335 average) with 195 hits (fourth behind Lee,Miguel Cabrera andJimmy Rollins), 38 doubles, 41 home runs (third, behindAndruw Jones' 51 and Lee's 46), 117 RBI's (tied with Burrell for second behind Jones' 128), and 129 runs scored (first in the league).[77] For the first time in his career, he won the NL MVP award as Bonds was limited to 14 games due to an injury.[78]
Pujols returned to the playoffs as the Cardinals won the NL Central for the second year in a row.[79] He had five hits in nine at-bats with four runs scored and two RBI in theNLDS as the Cardinals swept thePadres.[10] In Game 5 of theNLCS against theAstros, with the Cardinals trailing by two runs and only one out from elimination in the ninth inning, Pujols hit a game-winning three-run home run againstBrad Lidge that landed on the train tracks in the back ofMinute Maid Park. The Cardinals won 5–4.[80]MLB.com writer Matthew Leach later called it "one of the most famous playoff home runs in recent years."[81] Nevertheless, the Cardinals were eliminated in Game 6 by the Astros. Pujols batted .304 with two home runs and six RBI in the series.[42]
Over two games in April2006, Pujols hit home runs in four consecutive plate appearances, making him the 20th player to accomplish the feat. Pujols maintained after the game that he was more concerned with winning than the numbers: "I don't look at numbers," he said. "I don't know. I didn't know anything about [the record] until you guys brought it up. Because that's not me. I don't get locked in on numbers. I don't get locked in on anything like that. I get locked in on seeing the ball and helping my team out to win and hopefully doing some damage out there."[82] Pujols had three hits and four RBI, including his 1,000th career hit (a home run againstJerome Williams), as the Cardinals defeated theCubs 9–3 on April 21, 2006.[83] On June 4, he was placed on thedisabled list (DL) for the first time in his career with a strained right oblique that kept him out for three weeks.[84][85] On August 22, Pujols hit a three-run home run and a grand slam againstJohn Maine in an 8–7 loss to theMets.[86] On September 28, with the Cardinals trailing thePadres 2–1 in the eighth inning, he hit a three-run home run againstCla Meredith, helping the Cardinals win 4–2 and end a seven-game losing streak. The win preserved the Cardinals' 1.5-game division lead; La Russa later called it "the most huge of the huge ones he's hit."[87]
Pujols finished the season with a .331 average (third toFreddy Sanchez's .344 and Cabrera's .339), 177 hits, 33 doubles, 49 home runs (second toRyan Howard's 58), 137 RBI (second to Howard, 149) and 119 runs scored (tied withMatt Holliday,Hanley Ramírez, andAlfonso Soriano for fifth).[10][88] Of his 49 home runs, 20 produced a game-winning RBI, breaking Willie Mays' single-season record set in 1962.[89][90] He finished second to Howard in MVP voting and won theNL Gold Glove Award for first base.[91] He won his first of four consecutiveFielding Bible Awards for the first base position.[92]
Led by Pujols and Carpenter, the Cardinals won the NL Central and reached the playoffs for the third year in a row.[81] In Game 1 of theNLDS against the Padres, he hit a game-winning two-run home run againstJake Peavy as the Cardinals won 5–1.[93] He had a game-winning RBI againstDavid Wells and had three hits in Game 2 as the Cardinals won 2–0.[94] He batted .333 with a home run and an RBI in the series as the Cardinals defeated the Padres in four games.[42] In Game 2 of theNLCS against the Mets, Pujols scored three runs as the Cardinals won 9–6.[95] He batted .318 with one home run and one RBI in the series as the Cardinals defeated the Mets in seven games.[42] In Game 1 of theWorld Series against theDetroit Tigers, he hit a two-run home run againstJustin Verlander as the Cardinals won 7–2.[96] In Game 5, he made a sprawling, flip-from-his-back play to robPlácido Polanco of a hit as the Cardinals clinched the series, giving Pujols his first careerWorld Series ring.[97]
Near the beginning of the 2007 season in an April 22 game against theCubs, Pujols hit a game-winning three-run home run againstRyan Dempster in the 10th inning of a 12–9 victory, tyingKen Boyer for second all-time on the Cardinals' home run list with his 255th.[98] Pujols finished the season with 185 hits, 38 doubles and 103 RBI (a career-low). He was among the league leaders in batting average (.327, sixth) and home runs (32, tied for tenth).[99] He scored 99 runs, ending his streak of seasons with at least 30 home runs, a .300 average, 100 runs scored and 100 RBI, at six.[10] He grounded into a major-league-leading 27 double plays.[100] He finished ninth in MVP voting, the first year he had finished outside the top five.[101]
Pujols began 2008 by reaching base in 42 straight games, the longest streak to open a season since 1999.[10] On June 11, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf muscle.[102][103] Pujols hit his 300th home run againstBob Howry on July 4 in a 2–1 loss to theCubs. He said after the game that to him it was "just another homer that goes out of the park. I'm happy to do it in front of our fans; they were waiting for it."[104] On September 11, in a 3–2 loss to the Cubs, Pujols hit his 100th RBI of the season againstRich Harden, making him the third player in major league history to start his career with eight seasons of at least 100 RBI (along withAl Simmons andTed Williams). He regretted that the milestone came in a loss, saying, "I wish it would have come with a great win. It would have been more special."[105]
In 148 games in 2008, Pujols batted .357 (second toChipper Jones' .364 average) with 187 hits (third, behind Reyes's 204 andDavid Wright's 189), 44 doubles (tied withStephen Drew andAramis Ramírez for fourth in the league behind Berkman andNate McLouth's 46 andCorey Hart's 45), 37 home runs (tied withRyan Braun andRyan Ludwick for fourth in the league behind Howard's 48, Dunn's 40, and Delgado's 38), 116 RBI (fourth, behind Howard's 146, Wrights 124 andAdrián González's 119) and 100 runs scored.[106] He grounded into a National League-leading 27 double plays.[107] Pujols won his second NL MVP Award, and he won the Silver Slugger Award for the fourth time in his career.[108][109] He was namedThe Sporting News Player of the Year for the second time in his career.[110] For his work off the field, he was named the 2008 winner of theRoberto Clemente Award.[111] He considered havingTommy John surgery after the season but underwent nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow instead to ease discomfort.[112][113]
On April 25,2009, Pujols picked up his 1,000th career RBI with a 441-foot grand slam againstDavid Patton in an 8–2 victory over theCubs. "I hit that ball as good as I can hit a ball," he said after the game.[114] On July 3, he hit his 10th career grand slam against Weathers in a 7–4 victory over theReds, breaking Musial's record for most grand slams by a Cardinal. The grand slam was also his 350th career home run, making him the third-fastest player to reach the milestone, behindAlex Rodriguez andKen Griffey Jr.[115] He received the highest number of votes in NL history for theAll-Star Game that year.[116]
Pujols had four hits, scored three runs, and knocked in five RBI on August 4, including a grand slam againstSean Green that tied the NL record for most grand slams in a season (five), in a 10-inning, 12–7 victory over theMets.[117] In 160 games, Pujols batted .327 (third, behind Ramírez's .342 andPablo Sandoval's .330) with 186 hits (sixth), 45 doubles (second toMiguel Tejada's 46), 47 home runs (first), 135 RBI (third behind Fielder and Howard's 141) and 124 runs scored (first).[118] He was unanimously named the NL MVP for the third time, tying Musial as the Cardinals' leader in that category.[119] For the fifth time in his career, he won the Silver Slugger Award.[120] He won theSporting News MLB Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year, joining Williams andJoe Morgan as the only players to win it in back-to-back years.[121] For the fourth year in a row, he won the Fielding Bible Award for first base.
Aided by the mid-season acquisition of Matt Holliday (who replacedRyan Ludwick as the cleanup hitter) and the emergence ofAdam Wainwright (who led the NL in wins), the Cardinals returned to the playoffs after a two-year hiatus.[122][123][124] In theNLDS against the Dodgers, Pujols batted .300 with one RBI as the Cardinals were swept in three games.[42] Following the postseason, Pujols had surgery to remove fivebone spurs from his right elbow. The Cardinals called the surgery a "success", andDr. James Andrews decided that Pujols did not needTommy John surgery.[125][126]
For April2010, Pujols earned his first Pepsi Clutch Performer of the Month Award. He batted .348, 1.270 OPS, three home runs and 14 RBI with runners on base. Further, in situations with his team leading by one run, tied, or having the potential tying run on base, at bat, or on deck after the seventh inning ("late-and-close"), he batted .583 (7-for-12) with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and five runs scored.[127] On June 29, in an 8–0 victory over theDiamondbacks, Pujols hit five RBI and hit two home runs againstDontrelle Willis for his 37th career multi-homer game, which tied Musial's franchise record for multi-homer games. "It's pretty special," he said of tying Musial. "I'm blessed to have the opportunity to be compared sometimes with him."[128] On August 26, he hit his 400th career home run againstJordan Zimmermann in a 13-inning, 11–10 loss to theNationals. He became the third-youngest player to reach the milestone – behind Griffey Jr. and Rodriguez – and he became the fourth-quickest player by at bats to reach the milestone (behind McGwire,Babe Ruth,Harmon Killebrew, and Thome).[129] On September 11, in a 12-inning 6–3 loss toAtlanta, Pujols had three RBI and reached 100 RBI for the 10th consecutive year with a two-run double againstTommy Hanson. OnlyAl Simmons has a longer streak of 100 RBI seasons at the beginning of a career, with 11. Pujols joinedJimmie Foxx,Lou Gehrig, and Rodriguez in having 10 consecutive seasons of 100 or more RBI at any time in their career. Foxx and Rodriguez are the only two players besides Pujols to have 10 consecutive years of 30 home runs and 100 RBI.[130] The next day, in a 7–3 victory over the Braves, he passed Musial to be the all-time Cardinals' leader in multi-home run games when he hit two home runs againstTim Hudson for the 38th time in a game.[131]
In 159 games, Pujols batted .312 (sixth) with 183 hits (fifth) and 39 doubles (tied for eighth withMarlon Byrd); he led the league in runs scored (115), home runs (42) and RBI (118).[132] He won his second Gold Glove Award for first base,[133] and he won the NL First Base Silver Slugger Award for the sixth time.[134] He finished second in the NL MVP voting toJoey Votto, who said he was "shocked" that Pujols only got one first-place vote.[135]
Pujols and the Cardinals set a deadline for the start of2011 spring training for contract extension negotiations[136] but failed to reach an agreement.[137] After Pujols struggled in his first 30 games of the season in batting .231,[138] he batted .316 with 30 home runs in his final 117 games.[139] Against theCubs, he hit consecutive extra-inning walk-off home runs on June 4 and 5 for the first time sinceAlbert Belle in 1995. Carpenter noted after the game that Pujols' slump earlier in the year was over: "He continues to do great things, there's no doubt about it," he said. "The things that he's done the last few days have been just like the old Albert."[140] On June 19 against theRoyals,Wilson Betemit collided with Pujols, inducing a small fracture his left wrist and keeping him inactive until July 5.[141][142] On July 30, in a 9–2 victory over the Cubs, he got his 2,000th career hit againstCarlos Mármol, becoming the fifth Cardinal to reach 2,000 hits and 12th-fastest major leaguer by games to reach the milestone.[143] In the Cardinals' final game of the season, against theAstros on September 28, he had the game-winning RBI againstBrett Myers in the 8–0 victory, helping the Cardinals overcome a 10.5-game deficit to Atlanta to win the Wild Card.[144]
Pujols finished the season with 173 hits (tied for ninth withAramis Ramírez), 29 doubles (a career-low), and 105 runs scored (tied for third withJustin Upton behindRyan Braun's 109 andMatt Kemp's 115).[10][145] He saw his streak of seasons batting at least .300 with 30 home runs and 100 RBI snapped when he hit 37 home runs (third, behind Fielder's 38 and Kemp's 39), but batted .299 with 99 RBI (seventh); however, only three other players in the major leagues matched him in those categories (José Bautista, Fielder, and Kemp), causingTyler Kepner ofThe New York Times to write, "Even when Pujols struggles, he excels."[145][146] He grounded into a major-league leading 29 double plays.[100] He was fifth in MVP voting.[147]
In Game 2 of theNLDS against thePhillies on October 2, Pujols had a game-winning RBI single againstCliff Lee in the 5–4 victory.[148] He batted .350 with one RBI in the series as the Cardinals defeated the Phillies in five games.[42] In Game 2 of theNLCS against theBrewers, he had four hits, three runs scored, one home run and five RBI, in a 12–3 victory.[149] He batted .478 with two home runs and nine RBI in the series as the Cardinals defeated the Brewers in six games.[42] On October 22, in Game 3 of theWorld Series, Pujols had five hits, three home runs, four runs scored and six RBI in a 16–7 victory over the Rangers. He joinedBabe Ruth andReggie Jackson as the only players in baseball history to hit three home runs in a World Series game, set a series record with 14 total bases, became the first player in series history to have hits in four consecutive innings, and tied records for most hits and most RBI in a World Series game.[150][151][152][153] He had one hit and no RBI the other six games of the series but became a World Series champion for the second time as the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in seven games.[42] After the season, he became afree agent for the first time in his career.[154]
Three teams were reported to be interested in Pujols during the 2011 offseason: the Cardinals, theMiami Marlins, and theLos Angeles Angels. The Cardinals offered Pujols a 10-year, $210 million deal (with $30 million deferred), but Pujols rejected it. His wife, Deidre, explained on a radio talk show that they were "insulted" and "confused" that the Cardinals had initially offered Pujols a five-year deal.[155] The Marlins reportedly offered Pujols a 10-year contract too, but on December 8, he signed a 10-year deal with the Angels worth around $254 million.[156][157][158]
Pujols did not perform very well to begin the2012 season, batting .217 with no home runs and four RBI in the month of April.[159] Soon after the Angels called up top prospectMike Trout and fired hitting coachMickey Hatcher, Pujols' numbers began to rise, as he batted .323 with 13 home runs from May 15 through the All-Star Break.[160][161][162][163] On July 31, he hit two home runs againstDerek Holland in a 6–2 victory over theRangers. After the game, Holland observed that Pujols had "definitely turned it around, no doubt about it... He had a slow start, but he's picked it up. He's a great hitter...."[164] On August 14, Pujols had four RBIs, including a game-winning three-run home run againstUbaldo Jiménez in a 9–6 victory over theCleveland Indians.[165] In 2012, Pujols batted .285 (at the time, a career low) in 153 games with 173 hits, 50 doubles (second toAlex Gordon's 51), 30 home runs, 105 RBIs (7th in AL), and 85 runs scored.[166]
In 2013, Pujols had by far the worst season of his career to date, failing to play at least 100 games in a season for the first time. Pujols also posted career worsts in hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. Overall in 99 games, Pujols batted .258 with 101 hits, 19 doubles, 17 home runs, 64 RBI, and 49 runs scored. On August 19, 2013, Pujols was ruled out for the remainder of the 2013 season after suffering a foot injury.[167] In August 2013, on his St. LouisWGNU radio show, former Cardinals playerJack Clark accused Pujols of having usedperformance-enhancing drugs. Clark served as the Cardinals' hitting coach during the early part of Pujols' tenure in St. Louis. On the morning of August 9, Pujols issued a statement adamantly denying that he had ever taken PEDs. He denounced Clark's allegations as "irresponsible and reckless," and threatened to sue Clark and WGNU over the allegations.[168] Partly due to legal threats from Pujols, InsideSTL Enterprises, which owns WGNU's weekday airtime under a time brokerage agreement, cut ties with Clark.[169][170][171][172] On October 4, 2013, Pujols filed adefamation lawsuit against Clark.[173] In response, Clark challenged Pujols, proposing that they both takepolygraph tests to resolve who is telling the truth.[174] However, on February 10, 2014, Clark apologized and retracted his accusations against Pujols, saying he had "no knowledge whatsoever" that Pujols ever used PEDs. "During a heated discussion on air, I misspoke," Clark said. In return, Pujols dropped the suit.[175]
On April 22, 2014, Pujols hit his 499th and 500th home runs off theWashington Nationals'Taylor Jordan atNationals Park, where he had hit his 400th career home run in the 2010 season.[176] Pujols became the 26th player ever to reach the500-home-run mark, the third-youngest to reach it, and the only player to hit Nos. 499 and 500 in the same game. On August 10, he played in MLB's longest game of the year, and the longest in the history ofAngel Stadium, ending the 19-inning, 6-hours-and-31-minute contest against theRed Sox with a solo home run for a 5–4 final score. It was his first walk-off home run as an Angel and first since June 2011.[177] On September 6, against theMinnesota Twins, Pujols collected his 2,500th career hit, a two-run go-ahead double off ofJared Burton in the 9th inning. He also passed the 1,500-run mark in the same game. In the process, he became the fifth player in major league history with 2,500 hits and 500 home runs while maintaining a .310 lifetime batting average, afterBabe Ruth,Jimmie Foxx,Ted Williams andManny Ramirez.[178]
For the 2014 season, Pujols batted .272 and grounded into an American League-leading 28 double plays.[100] He was tied for the 3rd-highest salary in the AL, at $23 million.[179] After the 2014 season, Pujols traveled to Japan to join a team of MLB All-Stars playing against the All-Stars ofNippon Professional Baseball in theJapan All-Star Series.[180]
Before the2015 season, Pujols enjoyed his first offseason in his time with the Angels in which he was both free of injury or recuperation from injury. However, his offensive production lagged behind his career levels the first month of the season. By the end of April, Pujols was batting .208 with three home runs and nine RBI in 86 plate appearances. The next month, Pujols' offensive production had started to come around. Between May 28 and June 22, he batted .356 with 15 homers, 30 RBI, and a 1.326 OPS. At this time, he was leading the American League in home runs with 23.[181] After batting .303/.395/.737 with 13 home runs in June 2015, Pujols was named AL Player of the Month for the first time and seventh overall monthly award. His home run total led the major leagues and 73 total bases tiedManny Machado for first in the AL. Remarkably, hisbatting average on balls in play was .218, significantly lower than the league average of about .300.[182] Selected to theAll Star Game, Pujols was announced as a reserve for the American League. Due to an injury just days earlier withTigers sluggerMiguel Cabrera, Pujols instead started at first base. It was his 10th overall selection to the midsummer classic, and first as a member of the Angels.[183] On September 22, Pujols hit his 556th career home run to pass Ramírez for sole possession of 14th place on the all-time career home run leaderboard.[184] In the last game of the season, on October 4, Pujols hit his 40th home run, the seventh time he had done so in a season. Among active MLB players, he trailed onlyAlex Rodriguez, with eight. With Trout also hitting 40 home runs, the 2015 Angels became just the 31st team in MLB history with multiple players to hit 40+ home runs in a season.[185]
For the 2015 season, he batted .244/.307/.480, and he had the lowestbatting average on balls in play (.217) of all major league players.[186] He was tied for the 3rd-highest salary in the AL, at $24 million.[187]
On April 30,2016, Pujols became the 85th player to make 10,000 careerplate appearances.[188] On May 2, Pujols became the 20th player all-time to amass 5,000 careertotal bases. On August 17, Pujols joined Barry Bonds as the only other player to beintentionally walked over 300 times. Playing theToronto Blue Jays on August 25, he reached 100 RBI for the 13th time in his career, the fifth player to do so.[189] While playingCincinnati on August 29, Pujols hit his 26th home run and 103rd RBI of the season. The home run tied him withFrank Robinson for ninth place on theall-time home run list at 586, and allowed him to become theseventh player all-time with 1,200 career extra base hits, and the 21st to reach 1,800 RBI.[190] On September 16, Pujols became the 16th player all-time to reach 600 career doubles.[191]
Pujols batted .268 for the 2016 season. He tied for 2nd in the AL in double plays grounded into, with 24.[192] He had the 6th-highest salary in the league, at $25 million.[193]
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On June 3,2017, Pujols became the ninth player in Major League history to hit at least 600 home runs, when he hit agrand slam off ofErvin Santana of theMinnesota Twins.[194] He was the fourth-youngest player to achieve the feat (behindAlex Rodriguez,Babe Ruth andHank Aaron), and the first to hit a grand slam for his 600th home run.[194]
For the 2017 season, Pujols played in 149 games and had 593 at bats, but set career-lows in batting average (.241), on base percentage (.286), slugging percentage (.386), doubles (17), and walks (37), while leading the majors by grounding into 26double plays.[195] He had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players, at 21.8 feet/second.[196] He had the 6th-highest salary in the AL, at $26 million.[197]
On May 4,2018, Pujols recorded his3,000th major league hit, againstMike Leake of theSeattle Mariners.[198][4] On July 12, Pujols hit his 630th career home run, moving into a tie withKen Griffey Jr. for sixth place all-time for that category. The next day, Pujols was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to left knee inflammation.[199] He hit a single on August 10 for his 1,000th hit as an Angel, becoming the ninth player to record 1,000 hits in both the American League and National League.[200] He had surgery on his left knee in August, ending his season, and on his right elbow to remove abone spur in September.[201]
In 2018, he batted .245/.289/.411 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs (matching the lowest season total of his career).[100] He had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players for the second consecutive year, at 22.2 feet/second.[202][203] He was the sixth-oldest player in the American League.[204] He had the 5th-highest salary in the AL, at $27 million.[205]
On May 9,2019, Pujols became the fourth player in major league history to record 2,000 RBIs, hitting a solo home run against theDetroit Tigers atComerica Park.[206] A Tigers fan caught the 2,000 RBI ball but refused to turn it over to MLB officials, saying that he wanted to sleep on it before making a decision. In response, MLB refused to authenticate the ball. The fan, Ely Hydes, eventually decided that he wanted to return the ball to Pujols, who in turn refused, stating that the fan should either keep the ball or donate it to theBaseball Hall of Fame.[207][208] Pujols hit his 200th home run as an Angel on June 13, becoming only the sixth player to hit 200 home runs with two different teams.[209]
In 2019, he batted .244/.305/.430. Pujols had the lowestline drive percentage of all major league hitters (15.3%), and the 16.7% of balls he hit to the opposite field were the lowest in baseball.[210][211] He had the second-slowest sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.5 feet/second.[212] He was the third-oldest player in the American League, behindIchiro Suzuki (who retired in March) andFernando Rodney.[213] He was tied for the 4th-highest salary in the AL, at $28 million.[214]
At the beginning of the2020 season, Pujols (at the age of 40) was the oldest player in the major leagues.[215] On August 24, Pujols passed Rodriguez to reach second on the all-time RBIs list with a single against the Astros. With his 2,087th RBI, he trailed only Hank Aaron's 2,297. (Babe Ruth has 2,214 RBIs as recognized by Baseball Reference, but only 1,989 on the official MLB list; MLB does not count pre-1920 RBIs because it was not yet an official statistic.)[216] On September 18, Pujols hit his 661st career home run to pass Willie Mays for fifth place all-time.[217]
In 2020, Pujols batted .224/.270/.395 with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs in 152 at bats.[218] He had the slowest sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.0 feet/second.[219] He was tied for the 7th-highest salary in the league, at $29 million.[220]
Pujols began the2021 season with the Angels. On May 6, 2021, the Angelsdesignated Pujols for assignment. Through 24 games, Pujols was hitting .198/.250/.372 with five home runs.[221] On May 13, Pujols cleared waivers and became a free agent.[222]
In nine-plus seasons with the Angels, Pujols hit .256 with 222 homers and 783 runs batted in.[223] During his time with the Angels, the team won the AL West once (in 2014) and won no postseason games.
In 2016, sportswriter Joe Posnanski of NBC Sports described Pujols as "a cautionary tale against big contracts" and "an overpaid designated hitter in the middle of the lineup for a going-nowhere Los Angeles Angels team".[224]
In an August 7, 2018, article entitled "How the shift has ruined Albert Pujols," ESPN sportswriter Alden Gonzalez wrote:
"The recent proliferation of defensive shifts has made it exceedingly difficult for power hitters to turn batted balls into hits, prompting an infatuation with launch angles and breeding a widespread acceptance of strikeouts. Few have been victimized more than Pujols, the aging slugger who still makes frequent contact but no longer runs well... [T]he modern game is especially unforgiving to older hitters, and it has intensified the decline of arguably the greatest first baseman in baseball history."[225]
On May 17, 2021, Pujols agreed to a one-year major league deal with theLos Angeles Dodgers.[226] He made his Dodgers debut that night as the starting first baseman against theArizona Diamondbacks.[227] With his longtime number 5 having been assigned toCorey Seager, Pujols chose the number 55; both as nods to his two former teams, as well as the Bible. "If you know the Bible," Pujols explained, "it's the number of grace. So I feel 5-5, double grace."[228] On May 20, Pujols hit his first home run as a Dodger, a two-run homer offMerrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks.[229] In October, Scott Miller ofThe New York Times asserted that Pujols had "flourished beyond expectations, scorching lefties for a .306 batting average".[230]
Overall, in 2021 he appeared in 85 games for the Dodgers and hit .254 with a .299 on base percentage, 12 homers, and 38 RBIs.[231] For the second season in a row, he had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.4 feet/second.[232] His line drive percentage of 15.4% was the lowest in the major leagues, and his 16.7% of balls hit to the opposite field was the lowest in the majors.[233] He was the oldest player in the league for the second season in a row,[234] and had the fifth-highest salary at $30 million.[218]
In his first postseason appearance since2014, he appeared in nine games for the Dodgers, with five hits in 18 at bats for a batting average of .278.[231] Pujols subsequently announced that he would play in theDominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) in the offseason, forLeones del Escogido.[235]
On March 28, 2022, Pujols signed a one-year contract to return to theSt. Louis Cardinals and announced that 2022 would be his final season.[236] He said, "There were a lot of teams interested. It took 12 hours, maybe even less, to get a deal done once we received a call from the Cardinals," adding: "We have the best fans in baseball. It feels like I never left."[237] He was the oldest player in the major leagues for the third season in a row.[238]
On May 15, Pujols made his pitching debut, the oldest player to do so since 1929. In a 15–6 blowout win against theSan Francisco Giants, he gave up two home runs and four earned runs in the ninth inning.[239] On June 4 against theChicago Cubs, he became the 10th major league player to play 3,000 games, appearing as an injury replacement forCorey Dickerson.[240] On June 7 against theTampa Bay Rays, Pujols singled for his 3,320th career hit, passingPaul Molitor for tenth all-time in hits.[241] On July 10, after thePhiladelphia Phillies hadshut out the Cardinals in three straight games, Pujols made a rare start against a right-handed pitcher, and his three hits, including a home run, helped spark a 4–3 win. The home run was Pujols' 1,377th extra-base hit, tying him for third all-time withStan Musial.[242] Pujols was chosen to be on the National League team for theAll-Star Game by MLB CommissionerRob Manfred as a "legacy" selection to honor his career achievements.[243] He was also selected to participate in theHome Run Derby, where he advanced to the second round and fell one home run short of eventual winnerJuan Soto.[244]
On August 20, he passed Musial for second place all-time intotal bases, trailing onlyHank Aaron.[245] Pujols became the first player to produce four hits and two homers in a single game at age 42 or older[246] and was named theNational League Player of the Week (alongside teammatePaul Goldschmidt) after hitting .615 with three home runs and seven RBIs.[247] On August 29, Pujols hit a third-inning home run off ofRoss Detwiler, the 450th unique pitcher to surrender a home run to Pujols, breaking another MLB record.[248] On September 10 and 11, Pujols hit his 696th and 697th home runs, atPNC Park against thePittsburgh Pirates, to move into fourth place on the all-time list.[249] On September 14, he became the second player in MLB history to officially compile 2,200 RBIs.[a][250]
This could have happened last week in St. Louis, which would have been awesome to me, but to allow it to happen tonight in front of my family and friends and people who really care and love me is special.
On September 23, Pujols became the fourth player to hit 700 career home runs.[5] His 699th and 700th home runs came during consecutive at-bats during an 11–0 victory for the Cardinals atDodger Stadium.[252] He hit No. 699 offAndrew Heaney, his 200th home run off a left-handed pitcher; and his 700th offPhil Bickford, his 500th home run off a right-handed pitcher.[253] On October 2, he hit No. 702 in his last career home game, mirroring the home run he hit in his St. Louis debut two decades earlier.[254] On October 3, he hit No. 703, which gave him undisputed possession of second place on theall-time RBI list, surpassingBabe Ruth's unofficial total.[b][255] Pujols finished his regular-season career first in double plays grounded into (426), third in sacrifice flies (123), fifth in games played (3,080) and doubles (686), and sixth in at bats (11,421). After the season was finished, Pujols was namedNational League Comeback Player of the Year.[256][257]
The Cardinals won theNational League Central division, earning a berth in thepostseason and enabling Pujols' 10th and final postseason appearance.[258] He went 2-for-8 in theNational League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. In Game 2 on October 8, he singled in his last two at-bats. The Phillies won the game, eliminating the Cardinals and bringing Pujols' playing career to an end.[259][260] On November 1, it was announced that Pujols had signed retirement papers with the Cardinals.[261]
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On February 23, 2023, the Angels hired Pujols as a special assistant as part of a 10–year personal services contract.[262] Since retiring, Pujols has also been an analyst onMLB Network.
In June 2023, Pujols was named the "official global ambassador" ofBaseball United, a professional baseball organization in theMiddle East andSouth Asia.[263] He was also reported to have an ownership interest in the league.[264]
In February 2024, Pujols was named the manager of theLeones del Escogido.[265] The Leones del Escogido won the Serie Final of the2024–25 season[266] and the2025 Caribbean Series.[267]
Pujols' swing was praised for its consistency. "It's the same swing every time," former teammateLance Berkman once said.[268] "He has the ability to repeat his swing over and over and over, which leads to him being very consistent," Cardinals' video coordinator Chad Blair said.Sports Illustrated writer Daniel G. Habib described the swing as "quick" and "quiet". Pujols used a 32.5-ounce bat against right-handed pitchers, but used a 33-ounce bat against left-handers to avoid trying to pull the ball when he swung.[269] He credited his hitting ability partly to learning what pitchers would do in certain counts and situations:
I can tell right away from the first pitch if they're going to pitch to me or not with men on base. I need to be aggressive and make sure I look for my pitch and be ready. If it's there, be ready to swing. If it's not there, take it. There's just something there in my mind and you know right away the situation will dictate the situation you're in.
— The New York Times: May 31, 2009[270]
Pujols is second in major league history inruns batted in andtotal bases behind onlyHank Aaron. He and Aaron are the only two players to amass 3,000 hits, 700 home runs, and 2,200 RBIs.[c] Only two other players (Stan Musial andWillie Mays) have surpassed 6,000 total bases. Pujols hithome runs off of a record 458 different pitchers over the course of his career,[271] and is fourth in career home runs and fifth in doubles. In 2009, Pujols set the major league single-season record forassists by a first baseman with 185.[10][272] In an age when seasons of 150+ strikeouts were the norm for sluggers, he never struck out 100 times in a season.
Pujols earned uncommonly high praise from players and coaches throughout his career. In 2008, he was named the most feared hitter in baseball in a poll of all 30 MLBmanagers.[273] National League Central Division rivalJoey Votto referred to Pujols as "one of the greatest hitters of all time"[274] while former teammateBrendan Ryan said, "He's the best there is."[275] Hall of Fame managerTony La Russa called him "the best player I've ever managed."[276]
Given his career achievements, Pujols is widely expected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and potentially a unanimous selection the first year in which he becomes eligible (2028).[277][278][279]
| Title | Times | Dates | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Leaguebatting champion | 1 | 2003 | [50] |
| National Leaguechampion | 3 | 2004,2006,2011 | [72][42] |
| Pacific Coast League champion | 1 | 2000 | [18] |
| World Serieschampion | 2 | 2006,2011 | [97][42] |
| Category | Times | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Batting champion | 1 | 2003 |
| Doubles leader | 1 | 2003 |
| Extra base hits leader | 4 | 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010 |
| Hits leader | 1 | 2003 |
| Home run leader | 2 | 2009, 2010 |
| On-base percentage leader | 1 | 2009 |
| On-base plus slugging leader | 3 | 2006, 2008, 2009 |
| OPS+ leader | 4 | 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 |
| Runs batted in leader | 1 | 2010 |
| Runs scored leader | 5 | 2003−05, 2009, 2010 |
| Slugging percentage leader | 3 | 2006, 2008, 2009 |
| Total bases leader | 4 | 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 |
| Grounded into double plays leader | 2 | 2007, 2011 |
Notes:PerBaseball-Reference.com.
In 2006, Pujols and the Hanon family opened Pujols 5 Westport Grill, a restaurant located inWestport Plaza ofMaryland Heights, Missouri.[317] A 10-foot, 1,100-lb. statue of Pujols was dedicated on November 2, 2011, outside the restaurant. An anonymous donor commissioned sculptor Harry Weber to create the statue, which belongs to the Pujols Family Foundation.[318][319] After Pujols signed with the Angels, the restaurant was renamed the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame Grill.[320]
In 2008, Pujols teamed up with St. Louis Soccer United, a group looking to bring aMajor League Soccer (MLS) franchise to the St. Louis area.[321] However, the group's bid for a franchise was unsuccessful, and a USL team (Saint Louis FC) was formed.[322]
In 2005, Albert and Deidre Pujols launched the Pujols Family Foundation, a501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to their "commitment to faith, family and others." The organization promotes awareness of Down syndrome and works to support those who have it and their families, aids the poor in the Dominican Republic, and supports people with disabilities and/or life-threatening illnesses.[323] Among other activities, the foundation hosts events for people with Down syndrome. The foundation gave the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis the resources to open an office and hire staff.[324] In 2009, the Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults with Down Syndrome opened inChesterfield, Missouri;[325] Pujols was present at the opening on November 18.[326] The foundation hosts an annual "All Stars Basketball Game" with down syndrome players atMissouri Baptist University.[327]
Pujols has taken several trips to the Dominican Republic, by taking supplies as well as a team of doctors and dentists to the poor who need medical care.[citation needed] The Pujols Family Foundation also holds an annual golf tournament to raise money to send dentists to the Dominican Republic.[328]
In 2009, Pujols donated money to theMike Coolbaugh Memorial Tournament, allowing the event to occur after a sponsor backed out.[329] On August 28, 2010, Pujols and La Russa attendedGlenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington, D.C., after being assured by Beck that the rally was not political. During the rally, Pujols was presented with a medal for his off-the-field efforts.[330][331]
Pujols married Deidre Pujols on January 1, 2000.[332] They have five children.[333] After 22 years of marriage, Pujols filed for divorce on April 4, 2022, citing irreconcilable differences.[334] Pujols is a devoutevangelical Christian. He became an evangelical Christian on November 13, 1998, influenced in part by Deidre and his grandmother.[335][336] During his first tenure with the Cardinals, Pujols and his family attended West County Community Church, aSouthern Baptist church inWildwood, Missouri.[336]
On September 3, 2023, Pujols married Nicole Fernandez, the daughter of formerPresident of the Dominican Republic,Leonel Fernández. The two had been dating since October 2022, shortly before Pujols’ playing career ended.[citation needed]
During his playing days, even with the Angels and Dodgers, Pujols lived in St. Louis during the offseason.[337] He owned a home inIrvine, California, but put it up for sale in 2016.[338] Pujols is a supporter of people withDown syndrome, a condition his daughter Isabella was born with.[324] In 2007, Pujols became a U.S. citizen,[339] scoring a perfect 100 on his citizenship test.[340]
Pujols is close friends with third basemanPlácido Polanco, a former teammate with the Cardinals. Polanco has called Pujols his "closest friend in baseball", and Pujols is the godfather to Polanco's son, Ishmael.[341] Pujols is also friends withRobinson Canó, who selectedMark Trumbo for the 2012 Home Run Derby after being asked to by Pujols.[342]
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rafael Furcal | Baseball America Rookie of the Year 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Rafael Furcal | Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Rafael Furcal | Players Choice NL Most Outstanding Rookie 2001 | Succeeded by Jason Jennings |
| Preceded by | Topps Rookie All-Star Third Baseman 2001 | Succeeded by Eric Hinske |
| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month May 2003 – June 2003 April 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Derrek Lee Ryan Braun | National League slugging percentage leader 2006 2008–2009 | Succeeded by Ryan Braun Joey Votto |
| International | |
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| National | |
