Future Hall of Fame slugger Albert Pujols has officially signed his retirement papers today, ending his glittering 22-year career, per Mark Feisand of MLB.com. Pujols had already announced 2022 would be his final season, but after a resurgent final year for the Cardinals this news confirms he won’t be back.
Pujols will go down as one of the sport’s greatest sluggers, having mashed 703 home runs over his career, which included three MVP awards and eleven trips to the All Star game. The 42-year-old enjoyed a stunning final season in St Louis, the city he spent much of his career, hitting .270/.345/.550 with 24 home runs, enough to become just the fourth player in history to join the 700-club.
Pujols was drafted in the 13th round of the 1999 draft by the Cardinals, and made his debut in 2001. He began mashing immediately, hitting .329/.403/.610 with 37 home runs on the way to a Rookie of the Year award and a fourth place finish in NL MVP voting. That would set the tone for one of the great slugging careers, as Pujols continued to terrorize National League pitchers over the next decade in St Louis. Between 2001-10, Pujols never finished a season with a batting average under .300 or a home run total under 30, and only had one sub-.400 OBP season. Over his first eleven seasons with the Cardinals, he amassed a staggering 86.6 bWAR, and firmly entrenched himself as a St Louis legend and a great of the sport.
He inked an extension with the Cardinals in 2004 for $111MM which proved extremely good business for the team, and delayed his free agency until after the 2011 season. Once on the open market, it was the Angels who secured his coveted signature, landing him on a ten-year, $240MM deal after the Cardinals topped out at a nine-year deal. At the time, it was the third largest contract in MLB history. While Pujols had a few years of strong production which earned him down ballot MVP votes, the deal was mostly a disappointment for the Halos and he was never the offensive juggernaut he was in St Louis. Pujols hit just .256/.311/.447 across ten years in Anaheim and was worth just 12.8 bWAR there.
The Angels finally cut ties with him in early in the 2021 season, and he landed with the Dodgers for the remainder of the year. There was speculation he’d retire after the 2021 campaign, but the Cardinals opted to bring him back for a $2.5MM farewell season, and he didn’t disappoint. He’ll be a favorite for NL Comeback Player of the Year and along with the pending retirement of fellow Cardinals’ legend Yadier Molina made 2022 a memorable season in St Louis.
His resurgent final season helped the Cardinals make the playoffs in 2022, but his career came to a close in a series loss at the hands of the Phillies in the wildcard round. Pujols didn’t hit much in that short series, but he was a dominant force in playoff fixtures over his career. In 88 post-season matches, he hit 19 home runs amid a .319/.422/.572 slashline. That included a combined four World Series home runs during the Cardinals’ championship years of 2006 and 2011.
While the formal confirmation of Pujols’ retirement is not a surprise, it does draw to a close the career of one of the sport’s great players. He’ll assuredly wind up in Cooperstown, but in the meantime, everyone at MLB Trade Rumors congratulates Pujols on his memorable career and wish him the best in retirement.
MAJOR TWIST: Albert Coaches in the Winter and gets the “baseball bug again.” Comes back like Tom Brady for 3 more years….Gets to 800 Home Runs….And they stick him in the HOF while on active duty….
A part of him had to be tempted to give the all-time record a chase. I know he’d be looking at 3 more years minimum, but being that close has to make it hard to shut it down.
We’ve seen it now in two consecutive years – a couple all-time great hitters know it is their last year and they suck it up for a year and find a way to have a great sendoff year.
Buster Posey last year. Pujols this year.
Less tempted after reading about how it is going for Tom Brady.
And happier to honor his personal services contract with Anaheim with Arte selling.
Being the all-time RBI leader was more realistic. But he could have passed Babe Ruth in homers.
800? No number is to much for Pujols
Thank you Albert Pujols for enriching baseball life for many people for 22 years. His career was a miracle from the start, 18th pick of the 13th Round of the 1999 amateur draft 402nd overall to finish having less than half the season to hit 20 more homeruns in 22 to make it to 700.
@Trumbo I don’t know. Always best to go out on top. I have the unofficial official most wins ever coaching mid cities church league soccer.
My last season only went 5-3 and I retired. But who knows…. just adopted a 2 year old… when she’s 5 I may coach again!
Hulk, I’ve heard of that record….I thought it was mere myth…That was YOU?!??.
isn’t the mandatory retirement age 65?
LMFAO! Nice Melvin…
Jaime Moyer, Julio Franco, and Bartolo Colon all say hold my beer
It depends on the company. My dad is 66 and hasn’t retired yet. Heck, I work for a 73-year-old man.
Aaron Hicks should do the same.
Aaron Hicks isn’t even 1% of what Pujols was
He’s not even .001% if we’re being honest hahaha
Craven, you from CA?
Alaska by way of NY
I figured as much hahahaha Ever see “30 Days Of Night?” That is what I think of when I think of Alaska. That and “The Edge” haha.
It’s actually a wonderful place to live. I got a really nice job out here which helps with the higher cost of living. Definitely better than living in the concrete jungle in NYC.
And if I am being honest, “The Proposal” as well.
I might make my way out there someday soon amigo…Appreciate the advice…Speaking of “jungles,” have you ever seen “Blackboard Jungle” with Sidney Potier? Heck of a movie…
Two excellent movies there Trumbo. 30Days and Edge. Even pikers gotta like both of those. Which was scarier……running from a ravenous man eating brown bear or vampires…….and trying not to freeze to death………….
I’d love to live in Alaska above the artic circle
P.S. Jesus, the freaking neighbors are blasting “Silence of The Lambs” right now on their TV….Creeping the sh!!t out of me…..
Growing up in NYC you have people all over the place, constant noise, it really is the city that never sleeps.
Out here my closest neighbor is a half mile away. I sleep soundly at night and don’t worry about my house being broken into or anything. I’m probably the only NYY fan in the area too…actually I’m probably the only baseball fan around here hahaha.
Pretty kool Craven. I underestimated you. If I do ever make it out to AK you and me gotta grab lunch/go ice fishing.
Craven, I reside on Soto St in East LA California. Fastest drug corridor in the Western Hemisphere. I never sleep. Sometimes the couriers crash outside my house….I have seen it all out here…By crash I mean total their vehicles…
One of my best buddies lives in Whitehorse. Gorgeous up there. I’m Toronto lad.
Low Rider …” All my friends know the low rider (yeah)
The low rider is a little higher (yeah)….”
One of my good friends did your reverse route to NYC. Her family smokes and cans salmon and they’re to die for. She’s back home twice a year so I often send her off every time with nice gifts for the fam in exchange.
shocking!
Not bad….finishing 3rd all time on the HR leaderboard.
Barry Bonds is the greatest player you have ever seen and you straight up went “nope, he never existed, I am DELUSIONAL and only believe in things the massively pathetic right wing media tells me what to think!”
You are insane acting like certain players didnt even exist just because they did PEDS, when all your 50s-80s faves were on WAY MORE ILLEGAL cocaine and meth (greenies).
Steroids are GOOD for the game! Say it back you cowards! I want Griffey’s and Pujols second halves of their careers to be like their first, you WANT them to be injured and bad. I want entertainment, you want religion. Grow up.
I’m at least now convinced that ‘Roid Rage is true…
He should’ve retired in 2011
Cheater.
Nonsense
Especially this year when MLB didn’t do drug trsting
Tell that to Tatis
MLB absolutely drug tested this year. They resumed testing as soon as the CBA was signed.
Proof?
He was never surrounded by any cheating controversy…ever. That’s like saying Griffey was a cheater because he was popping bombs during the steroid Era. Completely asinine. The only controversy was over his age, which if he really is 45 then it makes his accomplishments all the better
At first I thought it said “Albert Pujols officially files for bankruptcy.” Now that would be even more amazing than his career numbers. Look, I never liked him as a Cubs fan and I think he juiced…I know something about it in fact. But one of the most remarkable things about his numbers is that he never once struck out 100 times in a season. Think about all that power but not swingling from the heels. Compare that to the power hitters today and it’s a joke.
Quite down max Kellerman wannabe. You have no proof and you maybe a cubs fan but real baseball fans know he was the best right handed hitter of our time. You don’t have any proof so quiet down while the rest of us appreciate a great.
If some random on this site “knows something about it”, news would have broke on this years ago.
My brother’s girlfriend’s third cousin’s dog groomer said that his uncle’s neighbor worked for the Cardinals and definitely saw Pujols juice up.
Although, you are right about how rare it is in the 21st Century to have that much power and never strike out 100 or more times in a season.
I appreciate, and use, the Mute button. Buh-bye.
First ballot.
Best hitter in his prime broke many records hope he enjoys his time kicks back and relaxes with his family.
What a quitter!
Julio Franco will always be the older better hitter.
Well done
Enjoy your 43rd (46th? 51st?) birthday as an early retiree! You earned it. In all seriousness it was a great career, he went out in a good season in his home team, the Angels were a mess with or without him, he has my respect and appreciation.
Once he got close to A-Rod and 700, the rest of the league started serving him up 83 mph meatballs that he homered off of. I wouldn’t say this was a “resurgent” year, more like a “once in a lifetime” one to get one player past A-Rod, who everyone hates. Good to see him live up to his word. This year wasn’t anything like Papis though, who legit was still mashing everyone and everything.
It’s kind of trivial for him to have even tried to surpass A Rod’s record because Rodriguez took steroids so most of his homeruns don’t have any validity. Pujols was trying to pass a nonexistent record
Speaking of records, to zero surprise of Angels fans, Pujols is the all time leader for ground into double plays…
That’s hilarious that you think steroids invalidates hitting a round ball with a round bat, you are very wrong, of course. Those are real, actual numbers that were accumulated in MLB games, therefore all of A-Rods homers are legit, whether you like it or not. What an absolutely insane thing to say out loud “Alex Rodriguez never existed” lmao bro, COME on…grow uppp…..
Also, Barry Bonds is the greatest hitter you have ever seen whether you like it or not!!
Ad odd career , first decade hof , one of the greatest ever , goes to the Angels and stinks for a decade. The discrepancy is mind boggling to me. Like a switch.
Nonetheless overall obviously hof 1st ballot.
But if you’re great for a decade , a plus for your team , then a full decade you are a hole , minus , hurt your team , kinda cancels out lol
No, it doesnt “kinda cancels out lol” at all, my god you have zero clue about this game, go follow soccer or something smh
He was suffering from plantar fasciitis which I heard is very painful give him a lil slack sheesh
The plantar fascitis actually started in 2003 during his 3rd season, which just makes his career even more incredible.
This is not true at all. For the first five years of his ten years with the Angels, he was at least 13% above average offensively with a peak of 38% above average by OPS+. This idea that Pujols was “terrible” his entire stint with the Angels is a false narrative.
He was still a really good hitter from 2012-16, just not at the same incredible level he was before. He even legitimately made the All-Star Team in 2015.
I wonder if he’ll blow off Arte and the ten year service contract.
Pujols stated a few weeks ago he will honor that contract. Minasian stated he’d be a great asset.
Bizarre. After the Angels dumped him, why would he want to come back?
I suppose in a perfect world Pujols could perhaps help build a pipeline from the Dominican to Anaheim?
What are you even talking about “dumped him” lol he was 41 and the two contracts were never said to supposed to overlap, the Angels always could have traded him. The second POST-CAREER contract has nothing to do with the PLAYING one….
My lord, american sports fans just keep getting dumber…
It’s pretty relevant in this case.
1. he had a full no trade clause, and at the time he was hot garbage so doubtful any team would give up anything for him.
2. The way he left was under a lot of heat. He got benched against a lefty essentially, was pissed and the next day released, not the greatest way to go out.
3. the two contracts are separate, but if you were let go from your job on not so great terms, would you want to go back?
1. Doesnt matter
2. The way EVERYONE leaves is almost always bad and badly handled but it rarely matters in the long run
3. Yes, I would be making $1M a year to literally just fly first class a couple times a year to random places and talk baseball, who cares how bad the team is?
Pujols is massively established in LA/OC, he is never leaving that cushy Angels post-career gig.
Moreno deservingly gets a lot of crap but I’m pretty sure Pujols was told by him that he would be buried on the bench and he granted him his release given the choice.
Pujols should become the next Yankees manager
*Angels
What does the service contract include?
Services undecided and to be determined is what I’ve heard over the years.
The only info out there is that the “Personal Services” are to the Angels, not exclusively Arte Moreno.
Pujols stated as much recently when he said he is “excited” to see who the new Angels owner is.
What’s the retirement package from MLB? What benefits does a player receive? Just curious.
Never struck out 100 times in a season
Saw something cool. Albert is just behind Mike Schmidt in WAR according to baseball reference.
I thought that was interesting. Obviously, Mike Schmidt played a different position getting a boost defensively but nonetheless an interesting comparison.
Mike Schmidt had some serious defensive WAR value I’m sure. I guess I’m inclined to believe Albert probably out hit his WAR value if the #s are close.
Just glad to see the Albert Pujols Appreciation Society has fired up after brutalizing him every single season since he first left St. Louis.
Congratulations to
Albert Pujols on your retirement from baseball!
Next stop: 1st Ballot Hall of Fame!
Biggest mistake?! Leaving St. Louis.
It is very likely that Pujols would have become the All Time Home Run Leader
(and won more Championships) if he had stayed in St. Louis.
(All for one extra year on his long term contract?!
What a waste!)
Adios, amigo.
Congratulations on your retirement. You are a fan favorite to the Cardinals fans. Next stop is Cooperstown, NY 2028 Hall of Famer. What a great ride into baseball 2022.