For those St. Louis Cardinals fans hoping Albert Pujols might eventually replace manager Oliver Marmol in the near future, it looks like that opportunity could disappear very soon.
After Stan Musial, to many long-time Cardinals fans, Pujols is the greatest baseball player to ever compete in St. Louis . Even when he left in 2011 to take a massive 10-year, $240 million deal from the Los Angeles Angels , he remained one of the most beloved figures in franchise history.
Even before he retired from the sport in 2022, there had been rumblings that he could eventually be back on a big league bench as a manager. If that were to happen in St. Louis, it would be a joyous occasion for many Cardinals fans to see the living legend return to the franchise where he became a Hall of Famer. However, a new report suggests he is a near lock to become the manager of a different club soon.
Albert Pujols stats (Cardinals): .326 AVG, .417 OBP, .614 SLG, 1.031 OPS, 469 HR, 1,397 RBI, 1,333 R
On Wednesday, The Athletic MLB insiders Sam Blum, Katie Woo, and Ken Rosenthal reported that the 45-year-old is viewed as the top choice to be the next Angels manager by team owner Arte Moreno.
“Moreno, the ultimate decision maker for the Angels’ next managerial hire, holds Pujols in high regard. One source close to the former slugger suggested the decision may be Pujols’ to make,” the outlet reported.
Pujols played 10 years in LA and has remained with the organization since retiring from baseball in 2022, via the 10-year, $10 million personal services contract that was set up in his original deal with the team once he decided to retire.
Since joining the front office, he has been in uniform each of the last three springs, and he has also worked with Angels prospects at their academy in the Dominican Republic. In March, he admitted being open to becoming an MLB manager if “the opportunity was right.” That arrived when the organization fired Ron Washington after the season.
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