Los Angeles Angels: Albert Pujols Ties Rafael Palmeiro on Home Run List
Albert Pujols may not be the same player he once was, but the Los Angeles Angels slugger is still making his presence felt in the record books.
When the Los Angeles Angels signed Albert Pujols they knew they were getting a player that would leave his mark on MLB’s record books. During last night’s game against the Texas Rangers, Pujols treated the team and fans to a little bit of history. Pujols homered in the top of the third off of Derek Holland. The blast moved him into a tie with Rafael Palmeiro on the all-time home run list with 569.
The home run was all the offense Los Angeles needed in order to secure the win. Five Angels pitchers combined to shutout the Rangers, and LA moved a step closer to .500 (21-24). Currently the Angels find themselves four games back of the AL West leading Seattle Mariners.
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Pujols is now tied for 12th on the all-time home run list. Barring injury, he should be able move up a few more spots before the end of the season. Harmon Killebrew occupies 11th with 573. Right above him are Mark McGwire (583) and Frank Robinson (586). Passing McGwire would move Pujols in to the top ten all-time.
Any more movement up the list will take Pujols in to next season. In 2012 the Angels signed the slugger to a ten year contact worth $240 million. If he plays for the entirety of the deal he will be in an Angels uniform through 2021. With potentially five full seasons remaining, how high can he climb up the all-time home run ranking?
Pujols is on pace for 32 home runs this season. If he reaches that number he would end the year with 592. That would leave him 170 home runs shy of Barry Bond’s mark of 762. Over his remaining seasons with the Angels, he would need to hit 34 home runs per season to pass Bonds by the end of 2021.
At the start of next season Pujols will be 37 years old. In baseball history there have been twenty seven seasons in which a player hit 34 or more home runs at age 37 or older. Bonds and Hank Aaron both did it three times. Palmeiro and Darrell Evans accomplished the feet twice. David Ortiz has also done it twice and looks poised to make a run at a third time this season. Still, expecting that kind of output in five straight seasons from Pujols is asking for something that’s never been done. If he’s going to end his career as the home run king it will likely take longer than his current contract.