MLB published its Team of the Month for August.
As you can imagine, some of the league’s top sluggers are there.
One name, however, stands out: St. Louis Cardinals first baseman/designated hitter Albert Pujols.
These guys owned August. 💪 pic.twitter.com/dyM8eoCfNR
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2022
Not because he isn’t talented: he is, after all, the best Latin hitter of all time and one of the best right-handed batters in the history of the game.
It’s surprising to see him on the team because of his age (42) and the fact he doesn’t even play everyday.
The vast majority of Pujols’ at-bats come against left-handed pitchers: he is quite effective against them, and he is a liability when he has to face tough righties.
Pujols was so good in August that he made the team of the month despite playing less than everybody else in contention.
He made it as a designated hitter.
An August To Remember
In August, the living legend hit over half of his homer tally for the season (eight of his 15) and slashed .361/.420/.803 with a 1.224 OPS.
Do you know any 42-year-old hitters capable of boasting that production?
There aren’t many.
Pujols seems revitalized, after several failed seasons in Los Angeles with the Angels and Dodgers.
He is a big part of a playoff race, he feels like an important part of the team (and he is), and most importantly: the organization knows exactly how to deploy him.
Pujols’ bat can still make a difference under the right circumstances.
2022 will be the last rodeo for the Cardinals slugger: he will retire, having achieved most of what he could ever imagine.
He has one thing left to accomplish: hitting 700 career homers.
He is currently at 694, with a month left to go.
NEXT: The Cardinals Picked Up A Historic Win Wednesday