MLB re-opened its free agency after a long lockout that lasted almost 100 days.
Friday hasn’t been quite the crazy day for signings we were all probably expecting, but there have been some deals.
The highest-profile move has been Carlos Rodon to the San Francisco Giants on a two-year deal, but most of the action should start over the weekend.
A big-name free agent with one of the best careers a hitter can dream of, Albert Pujols, is also looking for a team.
He may be 42, but Pujols is still generating some interest in the free agent market.
Reporter Hector Gomez quoted a tweet from Mike Rodriguez, a journalist who covers MLB, saying that three teams are in the hunt for Pujols’ services.
“Cardinals, Mariners and Rockies in talks with Albert Pujols. Rockies is the team that has shown the most interest, per @mikedeportes,” was Gomez’s tweet on Friday.
Cardinals, Mariners and Rockies in talks with Albert Pujols. Rockies is the team that has shown the most interest, per @mikedeportes. https://t.co/mhtiedtPsS
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) March 11, 2022
Will Pujols Retire As A Cardinal?
The Cardinals would be an ideal landing spot: they were his first team, the one that gave him the platform to shine and win two World Series, in 2006 and 2011.
It would be, for Pujols, a dream come true to retire as a Cardinal.
He would also be an intriguing addition to the win-now Mariners.
Colorado is said to be leading the race for Pujols’ services, and from a numbers perspective, it would be his best landing spot.
It’s easy to imagine him getting the 21 home runs he needs to reach 700 while playing half of his games in Colorado’s thin air.
A resolution should come soon.
In the meantime, Pujols, who remains an asset against left-handed pitching (.294/.336/.603 line in 2021, compared to .180/.233/.266 versus righties), is ready to play at least another season.
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