Albert Pujols may never catch or pass Barry Bonds on the all-time home runs list, but that doesn’t take away from all the history that Pujols has made over his 22-year career.
Yesterday, the St. Louis Cardinals‘ icon hit a three-run homer to tie the game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
That home run, which was No. 681, came off of Brewers lefty Aaron Ashby, who now has the dubious honor of becoming the 442nd pitcher Pujols has homered off of.
On that note, he’s quite close to catching Bonds in a different form.
Bonds homered off of 449 different pitchers during his career, which the most in baseball.
Pujols is a pretty close second.
Albert Pujols homered off Aaron Ashby Sunday, the 442nd different pitcher he hit a HR off.
The only player with more is Barry Bonds (449). pic.twitter.com/9f4ufhP19E
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 17, 2022
The Machine Keeps Rollin’
The Machine just doesn’t stop.
He hits.
And to have homered off of 442 different pitchers in his career is extremely impressive.
Now Ashby can join some exclusive company.
More unwilling pitchers are soon to join that company.
Pujols is 19 home runs away from 700, and with the way he’s swinging the bat early on this season, it only seems like a matter of time before he gets there, as well as add more pitchers to the list of guys who have given up home runs to him.
It may be his final season, but Pujols still has a lot left in the tank.
2022 isn’t just a ceremonious farewell tour for “El Hombre”.
The man is on a mission, not just to break some more records, but to win one final World Series title with franchise mainstays Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina.
To be that close to Bonds in any category is impressive, and to have a chance to break his record has to be exciting for Pujols.
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