Former big leaguer Albert Pujols was recently announced as the manager of Leones del Escogido for the upcoming season of the Dominican Winter League. Alden González of ESPN relays that Pujols is hoping to manage in the majors someday.
The exploits of Pujols as a player are now the stuff of legend. Now 44 years old, he debuted in 2001 and eventually played parts of 22 seasons. He hit 703 home runs, placing him fourth all-time behind Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth. He batted .296 in a career that consisted of more than 3,000 games, winning three MVPs, two World Series rings and many other accolades. He retired after the 2022 season.
Pujols has also shown a lot of interest in various roles for his post-playing career. The deal he signed with the Angels as a free agent included a ten-year personal services provision and it was reported around this time last year that he would be serving as a special assistant for that club. Shortly after that, he also expressed an interest in coaching down the road and then Major League Baseball hired him as a special assistant last summer.
The role with the Leones will allow Pujols to get a taste of life as a skipper for a small sample, as the winter league is shorter than an MLB campaign, currently played with a 50-game regular season. It will be the first step on a journey that could perhaps lead him back to a major league dugout at some point in the future.
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