Los Angeles Angels: Albert Pujols passes Carl Yastrzemski on all-time RBI list
The Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols rose to 11th on the all-time RBI list last night. Despite a slow start, he’s well on his way to more milestones in 2017.
After 17 seasons in the major leagues, three MVP awards and countless other accolades, Albert Pujols is at the point in his career where he reaches some sort of milestone practically every time he steps onto the field. While his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels has been largely underwhelming (and there are still four years to go), Pujols regularly reminds us why he’s a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
The 37-year-old added to his prodigious resume on Tuesday, passing Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski for 11th on the all-time RBI list, per Elias Sports Bureau. Pujols went 2-for-5 with a walk and drove in three, bringing his career RBI total to 1,847. He began the game in a tie with Yaz, but eclipsed the Hall of Famer with a two-run single in the third inning
Pujols’ third RBI of the night proved decisive. He drove a single to center field off White Sox closer David Robertson in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Halos a 7-6 win. He nonchalantly described his walk-off hit after the game, according to MLB.com:
“As soon as I hit the ball, I knew the game was over,” Pujols said. “I just did my job. I put a good swing [on it], and that’s all I could do.”
However, as Kaelen Jones of MLB.com notes, while Pujols passed Yastrzemski with his three RBI last night, his exact place on the all-time list is up for debate. Runs batted in became an official major league statistic in 1920, so Elias Sports Bureau only counts RBI from that year forward.
As a result, Cap Anson and Ty Cobb get “cheated” out of some RBI. On the list recognized by MLB.com and others, Anson places fourth all-time (2,075) and Cobb eighth (1,944). This puts Pujols at 13th – still a lofty ranking among some of the game’s true legends.
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Pujols likely won’t have to wait long to move up another rung on the ladder either. He needs just 13 RBI to tie New York Giants Hall of Famer Mel Ott for 10th or 12th, depending upon your persuasion. Willie Mays awaits after that with 1,903 career RBI.
And another exclusive club is also within reach. Pujols is only four home runs away from 600 in his career. Just eight players in history have reached this elusive plateau, Jim Thome the most recent in 2011. And it will be a while before we see someone else reach the 600 mark: Miguel Cabrera is second on the active list with 450 homers.
Signed through the 2021 campaign, Pujols has plenty of time left to continue climbing the all-time leaderboards. He has slashed a modest .265/.323/.468 since joining the Angels in 2012, but the 10-time All-Star has remained a robust power threat and run producer. Over the last three seasons he’s averaged 33 homers and 106 RBI.
Pujols is off to a rather slow start this year, but he’s still driving in runs with regularity. In 39 games he’s slashing .238/.276/.363 with five home runs and five doubles. His 30 RBI are good for second in the American League behind the Mariners’ Nelson Cruz (34).
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Enshrinement in Cooperstown is a virtual lock, but it will be interesting to see what Pujols’ final numbers look like when he calls it a career. Even at a diminished pace, he has the chance to enter some truly rarified air.