Albert Pujols feels he still has ‘gasoline left in the tank’ as he joins Dodgers

Albert Pujols made his deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers official on Monday and says he’s not finished being a productive player

It’s a sight that will take some getting used to: Albert Pujols, after a lifetime spent in the red uniform of the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels, clad in Dodger blue and wearing not his familiar No. 5 but 55.

Pujols was formally introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday after signing a one-year deal to continue his Hall-of-Fame career with his third team. He was released by the Angels on May 6 in the last year of the 10-year contract he originally signed in 2011.

The Angels are five games under .500 and have made the postseason just once with Pujols on the roster. The Dodgers, even after a 9-16 stretch over the past month, still have legitimate aspirations to repeat as World Series champions. So the change in venue, 30 miles up I-5, would seem to suit the 41-year-old Pujols as he chases his third World Series ring.

But the Dodgers already have an established first baseman in Max Muncy. The reason the Angels released him, according to manager Joe Maddon, was because Pujols refused to accept a part-time role. He’ll have a similar role with the Dodgers, sometimes coming off the bench to pinch-hit, sometimes giving Muncy a day off.

He disputes Maddon’s version of what led to his departure from the Angels and says he never asked for more playing time. Pujols, at this stage in his career and no longer the presence he once was, is ready to accept whatever the Dodgers give him.

“Whatever. I told them I’m here to do whatever,” he said at his press conference on Monday. “Pinch-hit, first base, whatever they want.”

Albert Pujols ready to embrace his role with Dodgers

The Dodgers didn’t waste much time in making a play for Pujols. As soon as the deal with the Angels was terminated, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was on the phone with Pujols’ agent, Dan Lozano. Pujols spent a few days evaluating his options, talking it over with his wife and children, and he decided the Dodgers were the team to continue his career with.

“There were a few teams [that wanted me],” he said. “But at the end of the day, I made the decision where I felt was great for me and my family. This organization had a great game plan for me. At the end of the day, that’s what it was all about for me.”

Pujols had 86 at-bats with the Angels this season. He’s hitting a career-worst .198 with a .622 OPS and was 4-30 over his final eight games. The three-time MVP who is fifth on the all-time home run list with 667 is long gone and has been for a while. But that wasn’t going to stop him from trying to prove his worth with another team.

As soon as he was cut by the Angels, Pujols hit the gym and the batting cage. He stayed in shape, knowing that eventually, even with his lackluster numbers, somebody would come calling. He never considered retirement and is putting off any discussion about it until after this season. “I knew it wasn’t over for me. So right away I continued to work,” he said. “Everything that was going to keep me in game shape. Because I knew I had a few teams that were interested in me and I wanted to make sure that I was ready to go.”

Pujols can still make a difference with the Dodgers

The Dodgers’ lineup appears stacked from top to bottom: Pujols is the fourth former MVP on the roster, which also includes three former Cy Young Award winners. But behind the numbers, there are signs that Pujols is right, and that he still has something to offer them.

His barrel rate this season is the highest it’s been in the Statcast era. He’s going to the opposite field more often (23.3 percent). He’s chasing fewer pitches and making contact more often in the strike zone. The Dodgers are also hitting just .217 against left-handers, 24th in the league. Their two right-handed options off the bench are Sheldon Neuse, who has 665 fewer home runs than Pujols, and rookie DJ Peters, with 10 career at-bats.

What better addition to make than a player whose legacy in the game is already secure? “I feel I have some gasoline left in the tank,” Pujols said.

His best days are a distant memory, but that doesn’t mean Pujols can’t be a valuable piece on a championship roster that expects to win.