Albert Pujols hits home run No. 597 for his career

With his sixth home run this season, Albert Pujols took another step toward history.

Only eight men in major league history have hit 600 or more home runs, from Barry Bonds (762) to Sammy Sosa (609), with Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Alex Rodriguez (696), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630) and Jim Thome (612) in between. Albert Pujols started this season with 591 home runs, and barring a significant injury, it’s a foregone conclusion he will reach that milestone.

Pujols entered Wednesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays hitting .243 with five home runs this season and 596 homers for his illustrious career.

In the top of the first inning, off Rays’ starter Erasmo Ramirez on a 3-1 pitch, Pujols put another tally in the home run column.

Pujols’ two-run shot in the first inning is all the offense the Angels would manage Wednesday night in a 5-2 loss.  It is his fourth career home run at Tropicana Feld, with limited exposure having spent so much time in the National League with St. Louis Cardinals and essentially making one trip a year to Tampa since he has been with the Angels.

Pujols sat out last weekend’s series against the Mets on the road due to a lingering hamstring issue and with the DH unavailable in a National League park. With Wednesday’s game in the books, he’s now hitting .244/.296/.378 with six home runs and 34 RBI over 172 at bats this season.

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If his past is any indication, Pujols may make quick work of his final three home runs to reach No. 600. No. 499 and No. 500 came in the same game back on April 22, 2014, with No. 498 coming just three days before that. So history may not have to wait too much longer if Wednesday night is the start of a home run groove for Pujols, as long as his 37-year old lower body will let him stay in the lineup.