Angels Release Albert Pujols

Future first-ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols has been released by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Pujols was hitting .198 with 5 home runs and 12 RBI at the time of his release. With Jared Walsh emerging for the Halos at first base and Shohei Ohtani taking up the DH spot, there just wasn’t a place for Pujols there at this point in his career. Pujols essentially said “if you’re not going to play me, release me” and the Angels did just that, a mutually beneficial move at this point. Before the season, there was talk that this season would be Albert’s last, and if it is, it’s completely understandable that he wouldn’t want to spend it on the bench. Where does he end up now? Well, his former manager, Tony La Russa, is managing the White Sox now, so it wouldn’t surprise your author at all to see Pujols join Ken Griffey, Jr. and Manny Ramirez on the “Oh, yeah, he did play for the White Sox for a minute, didn’t he?” All-Star team. Even if it’s not the White Sox, bet on Pujols staying in the AL as long as they’re the only league with a DH.

One aspect of this release that will no doubt be mentioned is the giant contract he signed with the Angels in 2011. While it does look bad it retrospect, were it not for some bad injury luck and then a pandemic last year, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that Albert is closing in on Barry Bonds for the all-time home run crown right now. Obviously, that’s not happening. Pujols currently sits at 667 career home runs – if he decides he wants to play next year as well and finds the right landing spot, he might be able to reach 700. As it is, he’s one of only four men in league history with 600 home runs and 3,000 hits.

Twitter: @KSchroeder_312