ESPN insider: Albert Pujols' chase for 700 home runs will 'probably go down to the wire'

As he approaches the final month of his final MLB regular season, Albert Pujols is turning back the clock and has become one of the hottest hitters in baseball again. Although he's played in a whopping 3,045 regular-season contests (fifth-most all-time), the slugger did something for the first time in his career last week when he hit a pinch-hit grand slam.

The four-run shot gave Pujols 690 career home runs, putting him just 10 away from becoming only the fourth member of the exclusive 700-home run club. Barry Bonds finished his career with 762 home runs, Hank Aaron had 755 and Babe Ruth had 714.

Since last week's grand slam, Pujols has added three more dingers and with 39 games remaining in the St. Louis Cardinals' regular-season slate, the 42-year-old's march towards 700 has become a "must-watch" event, according to ESPN's David Schoenfield. The senior writer put together the "Top 10 storylines to follow" for the rest of the 2022 MLB season, with Pujols' pursuit of history at the top of the list.

"I did not foresee Pujols' return to the St. Louis Cardinals turning into one of the feel-good stories of the season, let alone project him to having a legitimate shot at reaching 700 home runs with 40 games remaining. No, when the Cardinals reunited with Pujols, I had visions of Ken Griffey Jr.'s final season in Seattle in 2010, when Griffey played 33 games, didn't hit a home run and quietly walked away at the end of May," Schoenfield wrote. "For much of the season, it looked like the Cardinals might have to eventually face a decision on whether to cut bait with the future Hall of Famer. After going 0-for-2 on July 4, Pujols' average was down to .189 and he had hit .154 over his previous 65 at-bats. Then, at age 42, Pujols somehow suddenly turned the clock back to 2001."