Many wondered if Albert Pujols’ return to the Cardinals was a good idea. And it is that there were many doubts about one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time due to Pujols’ poor start this season. His numbers were just 23 hits in his first 116 at-bats with a .198 batting average. For May, he averaged .188 with two home runs and June .158 with no homers.
The last few months have not been good for Pujols, and everyone wondered if his return would have a fateful fate.
Albert Pujols’ effort
But no one saw the hard work the hitter was putting into each game.
Pujols would go through three rounds of batting practice four hours before the first pitch.
When he wasn’t hitting, he watched videos of opposing pitchers to try to find patterns and trends that would give him an advantage.
Little did they notice that Pujols was determined to achieve excellence and become one of the season’s best players.
We see the results just after the 63rd multi-homer game of his career. Amid an impressive moment that had revived memories of those days when he was one of the best baseball players on the planet between 2001 and 2011, the voices of fans now shout his name as the player races to enter the 700 home run club.
700 home run club
Only four players in history have broken the 700 home run barrier: Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron, and Babe Ruth.
Pujols currently has 692 hits on his account, and according to Baseball Reference, his performance is unbeatable:
“Since July 10th, Albert Pujols ranks across the MLB:
BA: 1st (.403)
OPS: 1st (1,289)
HR: 8th (9)
Assuming Pujols continues to play at his current game pace for St. Louis, here are his chances for him at 700 HR.” Says one tweet.
He could reach 700
The big question now is if the player can break the 700-home run barrier because everything points to him not returning by 2023, so he would have to achieve the feat this year.
After hitting home runs 688 and 689 in a career sure to land him in the Hall of Fame, Pujols directly answered questions about a potential return in 2023.
“Where I’m going to be in 2023 is here … watching these guys play from the stands,” Pujols said, adding, “I don’t really think about it (coming back). This is it for me… I’m going to take a little break.”
In addition, the Dominican does not aim to reach 700.
“It’s something that’s in the back of my mind because I don’t think about it,” he said with a laugh. “If it happens, it happens, but I am blessed with the career that I have, and if God has that prepared for me, I will be even more blessed. And if it doesn’t happen, I think everyone would agree that I’ve had an amazing career.” Pujols sentenced.
Much love to the player
“It’s just unbelievable watching him,” Cardinals All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado said. “When we got him, I knew he was going to help us win games, but honestly, I don’t know where we’d be without him.”
Pujols is currently one of the league’s most loved and respected players. Players from opposing teams routinely wait for him near the batter’s box to tell him they idolized him and ask for a signed bat or ball. And Pujols routinely has several collectibles or balls around his locker, waiting for him to sign so other major leaguers can take home a souvenir of him.
What do the bets say?
The odds of Pujols achieving the 700 feats have gone from 7% to 15%. So, it is still a somewhat risky bet but with the potential for significant profits.
Not all betting sites have an option to bet on the Pujols feat, so if you are interested, you should find a good betting site.
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