He has returned for one last run at a championship and it's been a blast from the past. Home run No. 696 ties him for fourth place all-time.
www.stltoday.com
Rick Hummel
PITTSBURGH—Through the first 87 games of the season, several games past the halfway point, Albert Pujols was hitting .198 and had four home runs.
Now, having made history on Saturday night, tying Alex Rodriguez for fourth all-time in home runs at 696, he is on the cusp of more. If he hits four homers in the next 22 games — and he is getting another start at first base on Sunday— Albert Pujols will have 700 for his career.
On July 9, this hardly seemed possible.
“I don’t think anybody could have predicted this magical experience,” said president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, who signed the 42-year-old Pujols to a $2.5 million one-year contract late in spring training.
“But for all of us who get to experience it, it’s incredible.”
Since July 10, Pujols has hit .326 with 13 homers. After not hitting any home runs in June and none in the first nine days in July, he is harassing National League pitchers as he did a decade ago when he was the marquee player in the league.
“You sit there and watch it and ... you’re so glad it happened. You’re happy for him. It’s amazing," said Mozeliak.
Mozeliak and the Cardinals famously lost Pujols in a bidding war to the American League and the Angels after the Cardinals' World Series championship in 2011. Who knew he would ever come back?
“You never burn bridges,” Mozeliak said. “There probably are a few little things you should take away from this, right?
“It was great that we stayed close enough where it was able to happen. But, for him to have the kind of season that he’s having is just remarkable.”
