Albert Pujols‘ signing with the St. Louis Cardinals has been one of the most discussed transactions of the second part of the offseason.
He probably won’t play every day, and he won’t put stellar numbers at this point, but there is something about Pujols and the Cardinals organization that goes beyond the diamond.
There is a strong connection, built with home runs and offensive production, but supported with love and admiration.
He put pen to paper on a one-year, $2.5 million, a far cry off the $20 million or more he used to make in his prime.
But money is not the most important thing, at least not in this case: Pujols will get to say goodbye in front of his fans, as he will retire after the season.
He will get to share the field with two friends, in catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright.
And he could potentially help the Cards get to the playoffs again.
Last season, they suffered a close defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Game.
This time, they will fight for a playoffs spot in a tight NL Central, where the Milwaukee Brewers should be viewed as the favorites.
Pujols Is Already Playing For The Cards For The First Time In 11 Years
Pujols, in the meantime, is already training with his new teammates.
In fact, he already took the field in a Cardinals uniform and played a baseball game for them for the first time since 2011.
“Albert Pujols’ first AB as a Cardinal since 2011 (ends in a groundout),” ESPN reported Marly Rivera tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.
Albert Pujols’ first AB as a Cardinal since 2011 (ends in a groundout) pic.twitter.com/Uu71SNp2qB
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) March 30, 2022
That 2011 season was magical for Pujols and the Cards, as they won their last World Series title that year thanks, in large part, to “The Machine”.
He is now back, 11 years later, for an encore.
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