Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols

José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (Spanish pronunciation: [puˈxols]; born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", he played his first 11 seasons in MLB for the Cardinals, then played with the Los Angeles Angels for more than nine seasons before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers for half a season. With St. Louis, Pujols he was a three-time National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) (2005, 2008, 2009) and nine-time All-Star (2001, 2003–2010). After joining the Angels in 2012, he made one All-Star appearance, in 2015. After returning to the St Louis Cardinals in 2022 he was elected again as an all-star. Pujols was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States in 1996. After one season of college baseball, he was selected by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 MLB draft. As a rookie for the Cardinals in 2001, he was unanimously voted the NL Rookie of the Year. Pujols played consistently for the Cardinals, contributing to two World Series championships in 2006 and 2011. After the 2011 season, Pujols became a free agent and signed a 10-year contract with the Angels. Early in the 2021 season, Pujols was designated for assignment by the Angels. Shortly thereafter, he was signed by the Dodgers. On March 28, 2022, Pujols signed with the Cardinals on a one-year contract for his final season in his major league career. Pujols was, at the height of his career, a highly regarded hitter who showed a "combination of contact hitting ability, patience and raw power." He is a six-time Silver Slugger who has twice led the NL in home runs, and he has also led the NL once each in batting average, doubles, and RBIs. With 14 sea

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