Albert Pujols, welcome to MLB’s 700 home run club.
With two swings of the bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, Albert Pujols joined one of the most exclusive clubs in Major League Baseball, swatting his 699th and 700th career home runs. Pujols joins Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755), and Barry Bonds (762) as the only four MLB players to ever hit 700 or more home runs.
Pujols hit career home run 699 off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Andrew Heaney in the third inning, taking a 1-2 pitch 434 feet over the left-center wall. The home run was a bit of revenge for Pujols, who was struck out in the opening inning by Heaney.
Phil Bickford took over on the mound before the next at-bat by Pujols and will now forever be linked to the future Hall of Famer after his 1-1 pitch was swatted by Pujols 389 feet for the milestone home run.
Watch Albert Pujols hit his 700th career home run below
What's left to say, other than listen and take it in! pic.twitter.com/47pv6rl0tp
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 24, 2022
Pujols reaching 700 home runs in his career was thought to be an extreme long shot this offseason as the slugger was signed to a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals as a way for him to end his career with the team where he saw such success for the first 12 years of his 22-year MLB career. However, after the All-Star break, Pujols began to heat up and considerations of him actually reaching the milestone started to become more than just a whisper.
At the All-Star Game on July 19, Pujols had just six home runs in 173 plate appearances. However, Pujols caught fire after that, smacking 15 home runs in the 154 plate appearances it took him to reach 700 on Friday night.
Hitting the milestone home run against the Dodgers is yet another storybook moment for Pujols this season as the Dodgers are just one of three MLB franchises (along with the Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels) that have had Pujols on their rosters in his illustrious career.