Albert Pujols is one of the greatest baseball players of all time, a fearsome hitter who terrified the National League for over a decade, won three Most Valuable Player awards and two World Series. After returning to the St. Louis Cardinals, he announced that 2022 will be his farewell season.
It's proving to be a fun one. Though he's not the slugger he once was, Pujols is enjoying being on a Cardinals team that is only two games behind in the NL Central race, and he'll be participating in the 2022 Home Run Derby, his fifth. Considering he's currently fifth all time in career home runs (and needs only 12 more to pass Alex Rodriguez for fourth), that seems extremely appropriate.
He's also still capable of pulling off iconic moments on the field. On Tuesday night, Pujols took a 93 mph sinker from Los Angeles Dodgers starter Mitch White and drilled it to left field for his 685th career home run. The best part? After he hit it, Pujols exchanged a double high-five with rapper Nelly, another St. Louis icon. In a career filled with great memories, this is a worthy addition to the Pujols legend.
The Arch, toasted ravioli, and @PujolsFive giving @NellyMo a high five after hitting a home run! pic.twitter.com/zNnNSbRBUE
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 13, 2022