90 Facts About Pujols

Pujols returned to the Cardinals in 2022 for his final season.

Pujols is a six-time Silver Slugger who has twice led the NL in home runs, and he has led the NL once each in batting average, doubles, and runs batted in .

Pujols was raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, mostly by his grandmother, America Pujols, and 10 of his uncles and aunts.

Pujols's father, Bienvenido Pujols, was a softball pitcher who struggled with alcoholism.

Pujols often had to take his father home when his father got drunk following games.

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Pujols played baseball at Fort Osage High School in Independence and was named an All-State athlete twice.

Pujols hit a grand slam and turned an unassisted triple play in the first game of his only college season.

Pujols was not drafted until the 13th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, when the St Louis Cardinals selected him with the 402nd overall pick.

Pujols began his minor league career in 2000 playing third base with the Peoria Chiefs of the single-A Midwest League.

Pujols was voted the league's Most Valuable Player and named to the All-Star team.

Pujols played 21 games with the Potomac Cannons in the high-A Carolina League that year, batting.

On Opening Day against the Colorado Rockies on April 2, Pujols became the first major league player born in the 1980s.

At midseason, Pujols became the first Cardinals rookie since Luis Arroyo in 1955 to make the All-Star Game.

Pujols was named the National League Silver Slugger Award winner for the third base position, and he finished fourth in NL Most Valuable Player voting, behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Luis Gonzalez.

Pujols was unanimously named the NL Rookie of the Year after setting an NL rookie record with 130 RBI's and becoming the fourth MLB rookie to hit.

Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit over.

Pujols finished second in MVP voting to Bonds, becoming the first Cardinal since Stan Musial to finish in the top four in MVP voting for consecutive seasons.

Pujols's contributions helped the Cardinals finish third in home runs and second in batting average and RBI; the Cardinals' pitching staff finished fourth in ERA.

The Cardinals again reached the playoffs, and Pujols had three hits and three RBI in a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks in the 2002 NLDS.

Pujols had five hits, one home run and two RBI in the series.

Pujols became the fourth major leaguer to hit his 100th home run in his third season, along with Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews, and Joe DiMaggio.

Pujols became the youngest player since Tommy Davis in 1962 to win the NL batting title after batting.

Pujols joined Rogers Hornsby as the only players in the Cardinals' history to record more than 40 homers and 200 hits in the same season.

Pujols won his second Silver Slugger Award and first Sporting News Player of the Year Award.

Pujols' contributions helped the Cardinals rank second in batting average and third in home runs in the NL; however, the pitching staff posted a 4.

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Pujols was moved to first base in 2004 after the Cardinals traded Tino Martinez in the offseason.

Pujols finished third in MVP voting, joining Musial as the only Cardinals to finish in the top five in voting for at least four years in a row.

Pujols won the Silver Slugger Award at first base, the third position he won the award at.

Pujols returned to the playoffs as the Cardinals won the NL Central for the second year in a row.

Pujols had five hits in nine at-bats with four runs scored and two RBI in the NLDS as the Cardinals swept the Padres.

In Game 5 of the NLCS against the Astros, with the Cardinals trailing by two runs and only one out from elimination in the ninth inning, Pujols hit a game-winning three-run home run against Brad Lidge that landed on the train tracks in the back of Minute Maid Park.

Over two games in April 2006, Pujols hit home runs in four consecutive plate appearances, making him the 20th player to accomplish the feat.

Pujols maintained after the game that he was more concerned with winning than the numbers: "I don't look at numbers, " he said.

Pujols finished second to Howard in MVP voting and won the NL Gold Glove Award for first base.

Pujols won his first of four consecutive Fielding Bible Awards for the first base position.

Pujols finished the season with 185 hits, 38 doubles and 103 RBI .

Pujols finished ninth in MVP voting, the first year he had finished outside the top five.

Pujols began 2008 by reaching base in 42 straight games, the longest streak to open a season since 1999.

Pujols won his second NL MVP Award, and he won the Silver Slugger Award for the fourth time in his career.

Pujols was named The Sporting News Player of the Year for the second time in his career.

Pujols considered having Tommy John surgery after the season but underwent nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow instead to ease discomfort.

Pujols received the highest number of votes in NL history for the All-Star Game that year.

Pujols was unanimously named the NL MVP for the third time, tying Musial as the Cardinals' leader in that category.

Pujols won the Sporting News MLB Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year, joining Williams and Joe Morgan as the only players to win it in back-to-back years.

April 2010, Pujols earned his first Pepsi Clutch Performer of the Month Award.

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Pujols joined Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Rodriguez in having 10 consecutive seasons of 100 or more RBI at any time in their career.

Foxx and Rodriguez are the only two players besides Pujols to have 10 consecutive years of 30 home runs and 100 RBI.

Pujols won his second Gold Glove Award for first base, and he won the NL First Base Silver Slugger Award for the sixth time.

Pujols finished second in the NL MVP voting to Joey Votto, who said he was "shocked" that Pujols only got one first-place vote.

Pujols finished the season with 173 hits, 29 doubles, and 105 runs scored .

Pujols joined Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players in baseball history to hit three home runs in a World Series game, set a series record with 14 total bases, became the first player in series history to have hits in four consecutive innings, and tied records for most hits and most RBI in a World Series game.

Pujols had one hit and no RBI the other six games of the series but became a World Series champion for the second time as the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in seven games.

Pujols did not perform very well to begin the 2012 season, batting.

In 2013, Pujols had by far the worst season of his career to date, failing to play at least 100 games in a season for the first time.

Pujols posted career worsts in hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Pujols denounced Clark's allegations as "irresponsible and reckless, " and threatened to sue Clark and WGNU over the allegations.

Pujols became the 26th player ever to reach the 500-home-run mark, the third-youngest to reach it, and the only player to hit Nos.

Pujols was tied for the 3rd-highest salary in the AL, at $23 million.

Pujols's home run total led the major leagues and 73 total bases tied Manny Machado for first in the AL.

Pujols was tied for the 3rd-highest salary in the AL, at $24 million.

Pujols tied for 2nd in the AL in double plays grounded into, with 24.

Pujols had the 6th-highest salary in the league, at $25 million.

Pujols was the fourth-youngest player to achieve the feat, and the first to hit a grand slam for his 600th home run.

Pujols had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players, at 21.

The next day, Pujols was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to left knee inflammation.

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Pujols had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players for the second consecutive year, at 22.

Pujols had the second-slowest sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.

Pujols was the third-oldest player in the American League, behind Ichiro Suzuki and Fernando Rodney.

Pujols was tied for the 4th-highest salary in the AL, at $28 million.

Pujols had the slowest sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.

Pujols was tied for the 7th-highest salary in the league, at $29 million.

Pujols made his Dodgers debut that night as the starting first baseman against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Pujols was the oldest player in the league for the second season in a row, and had the fifth-highest salary at $30 million.

Pujols subsequently announced that he would play in the Dominican Professional Baseball League in the offseason, for Leones del Escogido.

On May 15, Pujols made his pitching debut, the oldest player to do so since 1929.

Pujols was chosen to be on the National League team for the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred as a "legacy" selection to honor his career achievements.

Pujols was selected to participate in the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, where he advanced to the second round and fell one home run short of eventual winner Juan Soto.

Pujols has credited his hitting ability partly to learning what pitchers will do in certain counts and situations:.

Pujols is second in major league history in runs batted in and total bases behind only Henry Aaron.

Pujols is fourth in career home runs and fifth in doubles.

In 2009, Pujols set the major league single-season record for assists by a first baseman with 185.

Pujols has earned praise from many of his fellow players and coaches.

In 2008, Pujols teamed up with St Louis Soccer United, a group looking to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to the St Louis area.

Pujols has taken several trips to the Dominican Republic, by taking supplies as well as a team of doctors and dentists to the poor who need medical care.

In 2009, Pujols donated money to the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Tournament, allowing the event to occur after a sponsor backed out.

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Pujols owned a home in Irvine, California, but put it up for sale in 2016.

Pujols is a supporter of people with Down syndrome, a condition Isabella was born with.

In 2007, Pujols became a U S citizen, scoring a perfect 100 on his citizenship test.

Pujols is close friends with third baseman Placido Polanco, a former teammate with the Cardinals.

Pujols is friends with Robinson Cano, who selected Mark Trumbo for the 2012 Home Run Derby after Pujols asked him to.