Albert Pujols’ legendary MLB career came to an end Saturday night when the St. Louis Cardinals were knocked out of the playoffs. We were given a hint about the future Hall of Famer’s future plans shortly afterward, though.
The contract Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2011 contained a 10-year personal services deal to essentially tie him to the organization even after his playing career ended. A source told Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times that Pujols still intends to honor that clause, even though owner Arte Moreno appears to be positioning himself to sell the franchise.
“He plans on fulfilling all of it. He’s excited to see who the new owner is,” the source said.
Obviously, Pujols is contractually bound to the Angels, though there was some question whether the clause might go by the wayside if Moreno sold the team. That is not the case, as the personal services clause is with the organization and not Moreno.
The Angels released Pujols in 2021, and things ended a bit awkwardly between the two sides. However, the Angels can essentially deploy Pujols for publicity and marketing purposes, and there is no reason for them not to take advantage of that.
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