Angels designate Albert Pujols. Could a next stop involve a reunion, perhaps in KC?
Albert Pujols, whose high school and college baseball was played in Kansas City and whose Hall of Fame-bound career was defined in St. Louis, is out of baseball at the moment.
Pujols was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. The Angels have seven days to trade him or place him on irrevocable outright waivers. If Pujols goes unclaimed on waivers, he can be released.
If he remains in baseball, are the Royals a possibility? Royals manager Mike Matheny was a teammate of Pujols’ in St. Louis. The Royals, who entered Thursday’s game against Cleveland tied for first in the AL Central, could be in the market for a veteran leader in the clubhouse.
Or how about the White Sox? Pujols’ manager in St. Louis was Tony LaRussa, now the new manager in Chicago. The White Sox are dealing with injuries and Pujols’ bat could be an option.
Then there’s St. Louis, where his career could come full circle. A problem: No designated hitter in the National League except in interleague games.
It’s been a tough start to the season for Pujols, who is hitting .198 with an on-base percentage of .250 and .372 slugging percentage. His career slash line: .298/.376/.545, with 667 career home runs and 2,112 RBIs in 21 seasons.
After playing high school baseball at Fort Osage and in college at Maple Woods Community College, Pujols was selected in the 13th round, No. 405 overall, by the Cardinals in 1999.
Pujols’ took baseball by storm as a rookie, with 37 homers, 130 RBIs and a .329 batting average in a 2001 NL Rookie of the Year season. That marked the first of his 10 All-Star seasons, nine with the Cardinals.
His teams in St. Louis won the World Series in 2006 and 2011 and played in the 2004 Series. Pujols was the MVP of that National League Championship Series.
After the 2011 season, the baseball world was stunned when Pujols turned down an offer to remain in St. Louis and instead signed a 10-year, $254 million deal with the Angels.
The second half of his career hasn’t been as productive as the first. Pujols hit 445 home runs for the Cardinals, 222 for the Angels. His batting average dropped from .329 in St. Louis to .256 with Los Angeles.
“The Angels Organization proudly signed Albert Pujols in 2011, and are honored that he has worn an Angels jersey for nearly half of his Hall-of-Fame Career,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Albert’s historical accomplishments, both on and off the field, serve as an inspiration to athletes everywhere, and his actions define what it means to be a true Superstar.
“Since his Rookie of the Year Season in 2001, Albert and his wife Deidre have generously given their time and resources to countless charities throughout the world. We are thankful to the entire Pujols Family.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2021 at 3:17 PM.