St. Louis Cardinals insider explains how Albert Pujols reunion happened, and it’s awesome

Albert Pujols was a long-time member of the St. Louis Cardinals who wasn’t anticipated to come back before retirement. He surprised many.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman and designated hitter Albert Pujols was a long-tenured player with the Cardinals before starting a new journey with the Los Angeles Angels in 2012. He made Los Angeles his home for several years and surprised MLB fans with a return to St. Louis for, allegedly, his final career season.

Technology is a powerful tool, and it’s what helped bring Pujols back to the Cardinals. A 48-hour stretch of communication through phone calls, texts and FaceTime video calls was enough to get Pujols back. Members of the Cardinals franchise seem surprised and ecstatic.

"“Five wants back.” -Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, via The Athletic"

The Cardinals expressed interest in bringing Pujols back to the franchise, and he seemingly knew he wanted to come back on the right terms.

How much impact does Albert Pujols have on the St. Louis Cardinals?

Pujols has become well-known for his batting ability. Though his stats with the Angels weren’t as high as they were with the Cardinals, he remains a strong hitter and has started off his final career season well.

He’s produced two home runs already this season off left-handed pitchers and has homered off 442 pitchers, inching closer to Barry Bonds’ record of 449. He continues to work hard, despite being in the league for 22 years, and he feels as though it’s crucial to always pay attention to the game and have a strategy.

"“I’ve played this game for so long and it’s not just about going out there and hitting. You have to have a game plan. I don’t ever take that for granted — even after 22 years. I take advantage of the technology we have, and I go out there and trust my work. When I trust my work, something good can happen. If it doesn’t happen, that’s just part of the game, and I flip the page and get ready for the next [at-bat].” -Albert Pujols, via MLB"

He’s had a long and fulfilling career with MLB, and hopefully his last one with his first team will be a good wrap-up of the past 22 years.