The St. Louis Cardinals and first baseman Albert Pujols are in agreement on a one-year contract worth around $2.5 million.
It’s hard to think about a better ending to the career of one of the best right-handed hitters the game has ever seen.
Pujols called St. Louis home for the first 11 years of his baseball career, and he won multiple MVP awards, World Series titles, and other important achievements before going to Los Angeles in 2012.
The Angels released him last year, and destiny took him to the other team in town, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Between the two Los Angeles squads, Pujols hit 17 homers with a .717 OPS.
The Dodgers opted not to bring him back and he is now expected to play out the 2022 season where it all started, in St. Louis.
That doesn’t mean he didn’t make any fans in Los Angeles.
Will Pujols Retire As A Cardinal?
In fact, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke highly of the slugger, and says he should retire as a Cardinal.
“LA #Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he’s thrilled that Albert Pujols is returning to the #STLCards,’That’s the way his career should end,’” Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted on Monday.
LA #Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he’s thrilled that Albert Pujols is returning to the #STLCards,’That’s the way his career should end.’
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 28, 2022
Everybody in baseball, knowing the powerful love story that took place between Pujols and St. Louis, agrees that he should just end his career there.
At this point, Pujols’ biggest goal should be winning another World Series title and reaching 700 home runs: he is currently 21 shy.
Will he play enough to have a real shot at the number?
It remains to be seen, but everybody is happy to see him return home, even his former manager.
700 hundred may be tough. I would be happy with 697. That would put him 1 ahead of ARod.